


Reprise

by theWallflower



Category: Frozen (2013), Tangled (2010), The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Castles, Complete, Crossover, Dark Elsa, Disney Movies, Fanfiction, Gen, Human Ariel, Inspired by Tangled (2010), Little Mermaid Elements, Merperson Ariel, Merperson Elsa, Post-Frozen (2013), Queen Elsa, Rapunzel Elements, Royalty, Time Skips, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-08-29 21:46:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 169,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8506723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theWallflower/pseuds/theWallflower
Summary: Three princesses. Three curses. One adventure.Rapunzel's magic hair spontaneously grows back, Ariel regains her mermaid tail, and winter returns to Arendelle. One year after their most meaningful trials and triumphs, something has taken away what they worked so hard to gain. As they leave the safety of their own kingdoms, fate is about to drive these strangers together across oceans, over mountains, into the depths of the sea, and even through the river of time itself. But will their differences stop them before the curse can?





	1. Prologue

`Copyright 2016 by Eric J. Juneau. All rights reserved.`

`This story is in no way intended to infringe on the established copyrights and trademarks of The Walt Disney Company. It is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for sale. It may be freely distributed providing that no alterations to the story are made.`

`The characters and incidents portrayed and the names in this story used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person, living, dead, or otherwise, is purely coincidental and unintentional.`

* * *

_**Reprise**_

by Eric J. Juneau 

**PROLOGUE**

After Hans returned to the Southern Isles, his life took a steady decline. 

Once that ship sailed into harbor, flying the Arendelle flag, his brothers knew something disastrous had happened. And when they found him in the ship's brig and the representative had told the whole story, even the most mirthful of them grew grim. 

The problem was, Hans had committed no crime. 

They did put him in the castle's prison for a few days as "punishment", but mostly to keep him away while they figured out what to do with him. Officially, he had broken no law of the Southern Isles. Sure he had lied and deceived, but no one actually ended up harmed by his hand. The queen had left his fate for them to decide, the Arendelle representative said. And they were all quite busy with more important duties than their youngest brother. 

Of course, they stripped him of his ranks and titles, eliminated the meager inheritance he would receive. Attempting a takeover by murdering the royal family couldn't be overlooked. Hans became a prince in name only. 

He still kept his tiny room in the castle--above the servants' quarters and behind the cistern where waste funneled into the cesspit. By rules of formality, he was still allowed to attend the galas, where he wooed any woman of acceptable birthright or nobility before the rumors began. But before long, he found himself standing aside during the dances, as each duchess and countess whispered behind their fans. 

Males of influence avoided him as if he were a contagion. They preferred to deal with his more powerful brothers anyway. But now, diplomats were declining invitations if _he_ was going to be there. 

So the twelve brothers did the only thing they could do--send him away. They bequeathed to him a small barony at the edge of their kingdom where the serfs toiled in the humid buggy fields, growing little but turnips and watercress. So many years later, and his brothers still pretended like he was invisible. No better than exiled. The boy that no one wanted overseeing the land that no one wanted growing things no one wanted. 

His tiny mansion overlooked the pitiful swath of swampy grass that was his territory. Hans stared out the window of his office at another miserable day of rain. Though it was afternoon, the gray clouds gave the appearance of night, punctuated by the occasional lightning. 

"Your soup, sir," said Petter--a middle-aged man with a bulbous nose and porky belly. He was the one servant from Westergaard Castle who accompanied Hans to the mire. (None of the princes kept him from leaving unlike the others, for they were glad to be rid of the permanent garlic stench that clouded his body.) 

He placed a bowl of thin gruel on Hans's desk. Hans did not look at it. "Raining again." 

"Sir, pardon my asking, but it's been quite some time since you went out. Most barons survey their lands at least once a week. It may do you well to walk among your people." 

"Because it's raining, Petter. It's always raining. It will always _be_ raining." 

"You staying here, it's draining you. You're meant to be among people." 

"That will be all, Petter," Hans said. 

"Just because it's a miserable swamp doesn't mean we can't have a banquet. Invite some of the wealthier vassals. I could ask the kitchen to whip up some of those grub delights." 

"I said, leave me alone." 

Petter paused, then dropped his head and turned around. 

Alone again, Hans took a deep breath and stared out the window. Rain pelted the glass, dribbling through the gold frame. 

"He's right, you know." 

Hans whipped around, ready to tell off Petter for his insolence. But that wasn't Petter's voice. And it didn't come from the doorway. It came from the shadows in the corner, next to his globe and molded bookshelf. 

A man stood cloaked in silhouette. All Hans could tell was that he was tall and strong, like him. 

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Hans started for the door to call the guards. He knew of no one who wanted him dead, but not many cared if he remained alive. 

"You aren't the same man you were, are you?" the man in shadows said. "You were charming, funny, confident. Despite all your setbacks, you are a capable leader. If only you'd been born in the right order." He clucked his tongue. 

Hans stopped and scrutinized the man. His tone had authority, but with a hint of benevolence about it. 

"You make one little mistake and poof... life turns on a coin. Ain't that always how it is?" The man shook his head. "Not fair, is it?" 

Hans said, "No... it isn't." 

The man extended his black leather-gloved hand out of the shadows, embroidered with red and gold. "Want to change it?" 


	2. The Sun, the Ice, and the Ocean

"And with that, I declare the renovated Corona Royal Library officially open." 

Rapunzel squeezed the giant scissors. The thin purple ribbon split in twain and fluttered away while the crowd gave a smattering of applause. 

"Well done, well done. It's gorgeous. You are an amazing person. Astonishing," the mayor said, shaking Rapunzel's hand vigorously while the citizens began meandering in. 

This must have been the ten-thousandth time someone had heaped empty compliments on her. All she needed to feel satisfied was her subjects with big smiles, holding books, and discussing their favorites. She didn't need the praise. 

Flynn on the other hand... 

"Thank you. Not many people take the time to appreciate. I think it's the chin. It has a ruggedness to it that... oh, you mean her." 

Rapunzel gave him one of her looks. 

She accompanied the citizens in, telling the story. Rapunzel had spent two years working on this. True, she'd fallen in love with when she first came into town. She expected the day to be her only, but she still spent that time paging through old fairy tales, atlases, and novels. Anything better than the same three or four books. 

But once she became the princess, the tiny little shop wouldn't do. Not in her kingdom. Once the disorientation died down, one of her first acts was to install a proper library. The town's bookseller had never looked more surprised than when she came in with a troupe of architects, ready to talk plans. Over two years, it transformed from a wooden hovel to a literary palace. Not just a place to come and read, but to foster community. 

Most of the books resided on the second and third floors. The first had some as well, shelved in beautiful bookcases carved from wood. But also a spiral staircase, a play area for wee ones, and a ball room. The vestibule resembled a museum, with statues, glass display cases for Corona artifacts, and fresco ceilings. 

"Painted by yours truly." Flynn squeezed her shoulder. Everyone stared up at the images of stars and creatures and forests up above. "And this area can turn into a stage for performing plays. Pretty neat, huh?" 

"My goodness, how amazing." The old woman nodded. "You should be very proud dear. You've gone through a lot." 

"I don't see the king and queen here," another greeter said. "Where are they?" 

"King Frederic is talking to new staff members. Queen Arianna is arranging a trade treaty." Rapunzel shrugged. "It's okay. They've helped me every step of the way. I think they wanted me to have my moment in the sun." 

The old woman patted her shoulder. "Well, it's the best thing to happen to Corona since you came back, dear. And I've got to say, I love how you're wearing your hair today." 

Rapunzel pinched the brunette curls starting at the nape of her neck. Since that fateful day a year ago, she hadn't done a thing to style it, accessorize it, or brandish it. Others might call it messy or impossible. She called it perfect. 

Flynn glanced at Rapunzel. "I'm going to check out the 'Tales of Flynnigan Ryder' section," he said with a smirk. Rapunzel grinned. 

A mural of the swashbuckling literary hero covered the back wall of the second floor. When Rapunzel was finally able to read the books, she was amazed at how much he resembled her husband. After crumpling so many sketches, the result was more a lifted burden than accomplishment. But at least, Flynn said she got the nose right. 

Day dwindled to night, and still it seemed like everyone in town was here. In the lounge area, people were sitting with their chosen books--kids, seniors, adults, farmers, scholars. But she didn't find who she was looking for--her friends from the Snuggly Duckling. They were on the other side of the building. Their appearance had scared other adults, so they found solace with those who would accept them. In the children's area. 

Between the children, the giant adults sat on bean-filled pouch chairs and recliners. Von Hooke was turning the pages of a book called "Classic Techniques of the Old Masters" He accidentally stuck his hook through a page, then glanced around to see if anyone noticed. Vladimir was lost in something with a fairy and a rainbow on the cover. Shorty held his book upside-down, but didn't notice. A four-year-old perched over Gunter's shoulder, poking her finger into his book of home design ideas. 

"I would move the washtub there and the flower pot is ugly so get rid of that and the walls need to be purple with polka dots and get the fur off the chair 'cause it's gross..." 

Gunter remained stone-faced as his pint-sized assistant droned on. Rapunzel shook her head and smiled. She turned to leave them--far be it from her to interrupt a good book. 

In the shadows of the bookcases stood a woman in a maroon dress. A hooded cloak covered her face. 

Rapunzel gasped. No... was it her? 

The woman pulled back the hood. She shook out her long black hair. 

Rapunzel's breath caught in her throat. It couldn't be. She couldn't still be alive. 

A small child ran up to her and the spell broke. The woman bent down and caressed the child as a mother would. Now Rapunzel could see the differences. The body wasn't hunched enough. The eyes were a different color. The hair wasn't even curly. How could she have ever thought... 

Flynn clapped her on the shoulder. "Hey, look!" He held up the book _More Tales of Flynnigan Rider_. "I didn't even know they made a sequel. And it's a different author. I wonder if.... You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." 

"It... I just thought..." 

Flynn followed her gaze. "Ohhhh," he sighed in understanding. 

"I know," Rapunzel forced a snicker. "It's silly. I know that. Just looks like..." 

"It's okay. She's dead. She can't hurt you anymore. She's not coming back." 

"I know. I know that. It was just for a second..." She took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair. 

"Have you eaten anything? Atilla made some excellent cupcakes." Flynn escorted her to the table next to the checkout desk with a steaming teapot and plate of pastries. An old man in a blue Corona Navy Officer uniform brushed crumbs out of his mustache. He lit up at the sight of Rapunzel. 

"Well, bless my soul. The princess herself," he said in a gruff, but kindly voice. 

"Admiral Rosenbluth? I didn't expect to see you here." 

"Bang up job you've done. Quality is astounding. So much space. State of the art. And you designed the project from start to finish?" 

Rapunzel shyly shrugged. "I know how to keep busy." Eighteen years in one room would do that to a person. 

Rosenbluth adjusted his uniform. He was still a well-built man, but age and changed him. Tiny legs supported his barrel-shaped torso which thrust out his many medals. "This will be great for me, once I retire." 

"Only a few days left, right?" Rapunzel asked. 

Rosenbluth nodded. "All I'm really doing is walking around the castle, pretending to be busy. Commander Ansel is taking to the position like a fish to water. Done everything short of move into my office. And he hasn't even gotten the official promotion yet." Rosenbluth guffawed. 

"I haven't had the chance to meet him yet," Rapunzel said. 

"Oh, you will. His list of goals is as long as my arm. I've never seen anyone so ambitious and young. I think he wants to make Corona's navy the strongest on the continent. In fact, I think that's where your parents are now, helping with the transition." 

"And you don't need to be there for that?" 

"He's learned everything from me he needs. He's a Rear Admiral now, and some things just can't be trained out." 

"Like what?" Rapunzel raised an eyebrow. 

"To tell the truth, his reach tends to exceed his grasp. Oh, he's a capable officer. I just worry about his leadership skills. He's... well, not so sympathetic. Now, I look at you, and I _know_ you'll be a fine leader. You have a personality that inspires people. God save the queen, but I look forward to the day you take the crown. Ansel... he gets things done. But he'll step on toes in the process." 

"We'll keep him in line," Flynn said. 

"Good. I worked hard in the high command so I could have a peaceful retirement. The next time you see me I'll be rocking on my front porch with a lemonade in one hand and an old book in the other." He clapped Rapunzel on the shoulder. "I think I'll start looking for my first volume right now. Where do you keep the history section?" 

"Aisle four," Rapunzel chirped. "We have a wonderful shelf about old war battles, if you want to check it out." 

Rosenbluth twitched his mustache. "I believe I shall do just that." He thanked the little girl and walked off. 

"Ansel. He sounds... interesting." Rapunzel took a sip of hot tea. "I wonder why I haven't seen him before." 

"It's not like we need to. We're not at war," Flynn said. "The last time Corona had to mobilize their Navy was to look for the lost princess." 

A passing child holding his mother's hand pointed to the front door. "Look, mom, there's a horse coming into the library." 

A barrel-chested white house pranced through the double doors, waving his blond mane. He held a piece of paper held in his mouth. 

"That horse is captain of the guards, dear," his mom said. "Watch your mouth." 

Maximus scanned the library until he made eye contact with Flynn. 

"Uh-oh. Here comes trouble." 

He trotted right up to the thief and loosed his lips. The paper unrolled--a blueprint of the castle exterior with black markings. 

Flynn bent down and examined the document. "Oh, so you think you've got a strategy, huh?" 

For the past year, Flynn and Maximus had been improving castle security by competing with each other. It started when Flynn sounded off against the last eighteen years of break-ins, two of which he'd been responsible for. 

"You had nine guards in the chamber, all facing the same way. Couldn't you have spared one of them to actually watch the crown?" Flynn had said. 

As newly promoted captain of the guards, Maximus was charged with protecting the royal family. And Flynn--who better to stop a thief than a former thief? 

Of course, their first collaborations ended with broken furniture and scrabbles on the floor. The idea didn't take flight until Rapunzel suggested making it into a game. Flynn would do his best to break into the castle while Maximus tried his best to stop him. This exposed the exploits and vulnerabilities in security. Each time Maximus thought he had sealed them up, Flynn would try again. In the beginning, Flynn's ingenuity astounded everyone. But since Maximus had won the last three times, the king and queen felt security was solid. 

"What's this?" Flynn asked, studying the handwritten notes. "You think you finally got the castle airtight?" 

Maximus neighed, jabbing the paper with his nose. 

"And you even sectioned off the latrine tower. I hadn't even thought of that yet. Is this all you do all day? Eat apples and think of ways to make me look stupid?" 

Maximus neighed satisfactorily and tapped his front hooves. 

"You need to relax. Here." He slid a book out from the pile under his arm. "Try this one. It's about a policeman chasing an escaped convict during the French revolution. You'd love it." Flynn set the book onto a display stand. 

"Pascal, can you help?" Rapunzel asked. 

A green chameleon crawled out from a fold within her the back of her dress. It shuffled down her arm and jumped onto Maximus's nose. When he flicked out his tongue and turned the page, Maximus's eyes darted across the words. Flynn put his hand on his hip and smirked. 

A little kid skittered up to Rapunzel. "Princess? One of your friends got his hand stuck in a book but he told me not to tell because he was em-bar-rassed so can you unstick him?" 

Rapunzel looked up to the kids' corner. Von Hooke's hook had skewered the binding. He tried shaking it off, then met her gaze, and pretended he was just waving. 

Rapunzel rolled her eyes and smiled. She walked over and slid the leather binding away. "Thanks," Von Hooke mumbled. "I got a little carried away." 

Another rugrat ran up to her, holding up a book. "Princess Rapunzel, Princess Rapunzel, can you read us a story?" 

"Oh... well, uh..." 

"But you have such a great voice for reading. P-weeeeease?" The other children crawled up and gathered around her, like fish nibbling at food flakes. The pub thugs' eyes scooted cross-legged behind the children. 

"Well, all right." She sat down in the middle of the rug, her pink dress fanning around her. The cover featured a giant in the clouds looking down on a farmer's house. "Hm, _Jack and the Beanstalk_. Oh, this is one of my favorites." 

Rapunzel read through the opening exposition--the poor family, selling the cow for magic beans, the mother throwing the beans away. "Overnight, while Jack and his mother slept, the beans nestled into the garden. In the magic of the full moon, the beans sprouted into a beanstalk. And it began to grow... and grow... and grow... " 

The children's eyes went wide. Their jaws dropped. 

"And they kept growing until the beanstalk reached the sky," Rapunzel continued. 

The children and the thugs dropped their jaws. "That's awesome!" one little boy said. 

"How are you doing that?" another little girl asked. 

Rapunzel smiled humbly. Was she telling it that well? "Doing what?" Rapunzel asked as she brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. They continued to stare. 

Wait a minute. She hadn't need to brush hair out of her eyes since... 

Her finger kept going down. It kept going, and going... and going. The library had become dead silent. 

She tugged a lock of hair in front of her eyes. Bright golden yellow, spread all around her. 

"Blondie, you're... blondie... again," Flynn said. 

Her original hair, infused with the glow of the magic flower, had sprouted and fallen around her. All seventy feet of it. 

* * *

Moonlight shone into the grand hall, still and empty. Prince Eric and Sir Grimsby entered at the same time from opposite ends. Eric was wearing his bathrobe and bedclothes. Grimsby, still dressed from the day, balanced a nightshade bottle on a silver tray. 

"Ah, Eric," Grimsby said, surprised. "The princess forgot her nightly medicinal. I thought you were in bed already." 

"I thought I was too. The little ones got too noisy." Eric yawned. "I decided to get up and get some work done." 

They walked up the staircase together. "Not asleep at this hour?" Sir Grimsby asked. 

"Ariel tried putting them to bed, but they get all wound up when they're tired. She ended up playing with them instead." 

Grimsby's wrinkled lips smiled. "She's quite taken to motherhood, hasn't she?" 

"Yeah. She says it reminds her of frolicking with seals," Eric said sleepily. "At first, she was afraid because she barely remembers her mother, but she's doing just fine. Although, I wish she'd be a little more..." Eric searched for the word in his haze. 

"Strict?" 

"Disciplined. I wish she'd do more than play with them. Raising babies isn't all fun and games. You've got to feed them, keep them clean, set down rules, enforce those rules." 

"I suppose that's a princess's prerogative. It's the servants who have to do the nasty jobs." 

"That's the problem, Grim. Have you ever seen her once take an interest in the affairs of state? Or how the ministry operates? I know being human is still an adventure for her. But at some point she's got to learn how to run a kingdom." 

"I seem to remember giving a similar speech to a young man about a year ago. Telling him to settle down?" 

Eric laughed. "I suppose you're right. But it doesn't sound like she was ever trained in diplomacy or politics, from what she's told me." 

"She'll latch onto it. Let her have her fun. Enjoy these moments. The little ones just learned how to walk. We've always wanted to hear the pitter-patter of little feet in the castle." 

Eric stopped at the double doors to his bed chambers. He bowed his head and sighed. "So did I. But I expected two. Not _thirty_ -two." 

Eric pushed open the door to the bedroom. Ariel writhed on the floor, giggling like a ticklish dolphin as eight sheepdog puppies mauled her. 

Max, the proud papa, panted in the corner, keeping a watchful eye. The little ones crawled over Ariel's pink nightgown, pawed her, licked her face. She kicked her legs and laughed. 

"Looks like you really tired them out," Eric commented. 

"I... Sorry... we were having so much fun. They're just... so cute," Ariel said between breaths. 

Eric picked up one of the sheepdog pups. "All right, fun's over. Time for bed." He placed the puppy in front of Max. "Come on, you old knucklehead. Help out." 

Max picked up the puppy by the scruff of the neck and pranced out of the bedroom. Five of the eight formed a proper line and followed their father. Three remained--one trying to rip off Ariel's hem, one snuggled in her arm, and another pouncing on her chest. 

"But they're not tired," Ariel said. 

"Grim, can you help?" 

Grimsby had just enough time to set down the tray as Eric placed three puppies in Grimsby's arms. "Mom's in the courtyard. Hopefully if they see her sleeping, they'll follow." 

"I'll tuck them in myself," Grimsby whispered. He left the room and closed the door behind him. 

Now alone, Ariel sat up. She brushed off the thick layer of gray and white hair from her cotton nightgown. "I was just waiting for my bath to cool down. Is it our bedtime too?" 

"Not for me. Just have time for a nap. Tomorrow's the meeting with the agricultural committee and I've got to prepare." 

"But you appointed that committee. Can't you change it?" she asked. 

Eric rubbed his face. "Can't really wait. Still trying to make a deal with the barons and livestock and figuring out how to create usable farmland. And after that I've got to talk to the army about the new defense plan. And so on. It'll probably last until midnight." 

Ariel sat down at the seat of the bay window. The ocean warped the light of the moon with its twisted onyx waves. 

When Eric got caught up in work, she grew depressed. It made him mopey and ill-tempered, not like the handsome man she fell in love with. 

"It's just because the economy is down," she sighed. 

"The economy is down," Eric snapped, using his commanding prince voice, "because the kingdom's revenue is cut in half. We're surrounded on three sides by water. This country depends on the ocean for most of its food. We're just trying to figure out a way to keep everyone fed." 

"I never asked you to do this," Ariel said, still looking out the window. 

"But you didn't say no when I asked you if I should." 

After she and Eric were married, they could no longer ignore the sea cow in the room. One day, Chef Louis prepared his Sole Meunière. Ariel stared down at the plate of crispy, buttery fillets, the lemony scent wafting up. Eric saw the pouty look on her face. He'd known they would have address this at some point. 

"I just can't... I can't risk them hooking a friend. I know that's how humans are, but... if there was another way, I would. But we're not totally destitute. There's new territories to explore. And trade with other countries." 

"What will we have to trade with?" Eric asked. 

Ariel's eyes widened, like she was being disciplined. 

"I know, I know. I'm trying to make it work. That's what all these meetings are for." He stood beside her and stroked her hair. "We'll figure something out, don't worry." 

She looked up at him with bright blue eyes. 

"Are you going to have your bath?" 

"Ooh, I forgot. It should be cool enough now." 

Ariel stood up and wrapped her arms around him. He breathed in her natural scent of cool wind, with a hint of dog hair. She left his embrace and entered the bed chambers' adjacent porcelain bath. 

Eric undid his collar. "Don't forget your tonic." 

"I know. I'll take it." Ariel eyed the dark opal flask. She uncorked it and the smell of vinegar and sugar puffed out. "Are you sure this is supposed to help me have a baby? It tastes so bad." 

"That's what the chemist said. It's worth trying." No doctor could tell she hadn't always been human. Those close to Eric who knew Ariel's secret life began to wonder if she could even become pregnant. Perhaps some elements of the sea remained in her body. Elements that nullified the continuation of the royal line. "It's important to the kingdom that we have an heir. Especially given how anxious people are.." 

"You don't have to tell me. I was born in a royal family too." Water suppurated as her body eased into the bath. 

Eric examined a daguerreotype of Princess Ariel propped on his dresser as he changed shirts. She looked more regal and mature than she ever had. The artist had done an excellent job of capturing what was not there. 

He loved her as a wife, but as a princess... sometimes he regretted getting married so quickly. She was still immature, curious, learning what it meant to be human. He still found forks in her vanity drawer. She asked for a "sneeze blanket" instead of a handkerchief. Just a week ago, she had a pickle for the first time. The expression on her face left the royal court laughing the rest of the night. 

But more important, her eyes glazed over whenever he talked about social issues or political problems. He asked questions about roads and she spent dinner asking if horses could roll downhill. She was the youngest of her seven sisters, so he figured that had something to do with it. 

He had to keep reminding himself that she was seventeen. He didn't _want_ to pressure her to sacrifice her values or bear him a child. But it wasn't just him he had to think about, it was the commonwealth. People who didn't know her grew sour dispositions when they saw her dancing in the fountain. They lost confidence in their leader when she laid out on the carpet, or "floor softener" Plucky, energetic, and to some, bratty. The sober girl in the portrait was the person Ariel needed to be. 

"Eric!" 

Eric rushed across the room. She sounded panicked. Water was splashing on the floor. 

"Ariel!" He skidded to a stop in the doorway of the bathroom. "What? What?" 

She lay in the bath, head above water. A giant, green fishtail stuck out of the foot of the bath. Its thin membrane-like fluke unfolded like rolled paper. 

Ariel stared at Eric with fearful, innocent alarm. Eric stared back in disbelief. It was all he could do. 

* * *

"Okaaaaay... moving on... to line item... number... two-ninety-four..." 

Elsa scattered the pages again. She had given up hope of organizing them, and now just shifted documents from one pile to the other to find the right one. Anna came in, but she was concentrating so hard that she didn't hear. 

"Elsa? You're still working?" 

"Still working," Elsa said. 

Minister Gudmund across the table paid her no mind. Anna had come in a few times today. Plus he was so mole-eyed, he could barely see her across the table. 

"I'm getting there though. You knew I was spending all day here," Elsa whispered. 

"I know. I just don't see how you can stand it." 

Elsa shrugged. "You should have seen the pile that the clerics wheeled out. Now we're just on small stuff. Like this. We're deciding if it's better to use 'and' or 'or' here." She pointed a sentence at least sixty words long. 

Anna's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. No wonder you've been here all day." 

The day had started with thirty-six chairs filled by council members and their clerks, all wanting different work done. Nobody could form smaller committees to work together. It was Elsa or nothing. 

As the day went on, the representatives got their business done and left. Now it was down to the minister of geography. And the only reason he remained was because he spoke... so... slowly. 

"On paragraph... sixty... I believe the meaning... would come into play. Here. Let me try... reading it... out loud." 

Elsa groaned. She would have been better off appointing a turtle. But she put on a brave face. This was what being a queen meant. It was what she had trained for all her life. 

"Hey, Elsa," Anna sidled up to her as Gudmund droned on. "You want to go sledding?" 

"No. I'm busy." 

"Come on, you're almost done. You missed all day and now you're going to miss tonight." 

"I'm trying to get as much done as possible. Once this batch is complete, I think we'll be back where we were before we cut ties with Weselton," Elsa said. She had come to respect the duchy since the split. Not everyone was thrilled to trade exports with a sorceress who had killed half the kingdom's crops in one day, so a notable amount of territories sided with him. "Then we can stop rebuilding and start making plans for the future." 

"Come on," Anna whined. "It's a beautiful night. All the stars are out." 

"Why don't you go with Kristoff?" Elsa whispered. 

"Aw, he's on the far side of the fjord, gathering ice. They've got a huge demand. It's the busy season, I guess. " 

"Summer usually is." 

"He's been no fun ever since he got new workers. Well, I mean, he's not unfun. He just thinks overseeing a team is super-fun, which sounds like no fun, but I guess for him it's fun. Anyway, I want to have some fun." Anna propped her arms on the table. 

"Sorry, I have to get this done," Elsa said. She straightened her shoulders and concentrated on what Gudmund was saying. 

A half-sheet of paper emerged into view. "I made a new design..." Anna teased. 

It was a sketchy blueprint of a sledding track, full of swoops and curls. Elsa's eyes glistened. 

"Ahem," Gudmund interrupted, adjusting his cloudy pince-nez. "Queen Elsa? You have been... listening... haven't you?" 

"Of course," Elsa said. "I understand completely." 

"You do?" Gudmund asked. 

"Yes, but a...," she searched for the word, "compromise might be in order. I think if we change it, we'll have to rewrite the entire article so everything matches. Would you be willing to do that?" 

"Oh, certainly, Miss Elsa... be glad to..." He reached under the desk, searching for some paper. "Now, I say... I seem to be... all out of parchment... Would the lambskin do or..." 

He looked up. 

"Miss Elsa?" 

Elsa and Anna bounced down the hall through the empty corridors, giggling and holding hands. 

They headed out the back, into the crisp night air, and to the new greenhouse. The giant glass-paneled shed was for botanists to breed hardier varieties of crops, to replace those that had been killed. None of the equipment had been moved in, which made it perfect for a self-contained snow fort. 

Elsa moved to the center. "Are you ready?" 

Anna hopped up and down, her sled pressed against her body. "Do the magic! Do the magic!" 

Elsa slammed her foot down. An ice blue flake spun outward and grew. The floor flooded with packed snow that seemed to grow from the ground. In a matter of moments, the base layer half-filled the greenhouse. While Anna held up the blueprint, Elsa sculpted the snow to its specifications. As a finale, she pointed beneath them. A mound of snow pushed them up to the greenhouse ceiling. Her sister squealed with delight. 

Anna lay the sled on the hill's apex, adjusting its center with the chute. Elsa examined her completed handiwork from afar and frowned. It didn't look as intimidating on paper. She had no idea if Anna's design was safe and sound. 

"Come on," Anna said. 

Elsa climbed on the back of the toboggan. Anna pulled them forward by her heels until inertia took over. 

"Here we gooooooooo," Anna shouted. Bright white wind rushed past them, forcing Elsa's eyes shut and tearing. Her white braided hair flew behind her like a kite tail. Shards of snow spiked her cheeks, but her jaw was clenched too tight to feel it. 

On the first, sharpest bend, the toboggan slid up the track's edge. Elsa feared they'd tumble upside down, forcing out a high pitched scream. It lurched around the bend and down a steep slope. The sled crested over a small hump, catching air for a split-second, then smashed back on track. 

At the halfway point, Elsa started enjoying herself. Her scream became one of delight, reaching a harmony with Anna's. 

They reached the last hill, sliding into a straightaway that terminated without slowing down. The sled dropped from beneath them, making them airborne, as they headed for a pile of fluffy powder. They made impact butt-first with a soft whoomp as a misty cloud of frost appeared . 

Elsa lay still for a few moments, unaware she was breathing fast. 

Anna thrust her arms up out of the snowdrift. "That was totally awesome!" 

Elsa brushed the snow out of her hair. "Phew... that... I think that's your best design yet." 

Anna laid back, using the fluffy flakes as a pillow. Elsa rested on her side, enjoying the cool drain of adrenaline. This felt like being sisters again. Catching up on the playtime they used to have, the intimacy of their own world, the comfort of being themselves. 

"Hey, Elsa," Anna said. "You ever think about getting married?" 

"Wait, what?" 

"Not me. No, no way, pflah. I meant, like, in general. What it's like to be so close to a person you spend the rest of your lives together." 

"I don't know. I guess I'd have to find someone I feel that way about before I start thinking about it." 

Anna flopped toward Elsa. "Is there anyone you like? You must see the men staring at you during the balls." 

"Of course they're staring at me. I'm the queen." Elsa sniggered. "They just want to help their political ties. Like _certain_ people we may have been engaged to." 

"With _certain_ exceptions, not all men are like that." 

"I know. Just the men I'm around." Elsa laid back in the snow. She would be expected to marry, wouldn't she? To bring forth an heir. She did not look forward to that day. "To tell the truth, I'm afraid of being around the same person all the time for the rest of my life. I feel more comfortable by myself." 

"Yeah, even with the gates open, you still kind of... stay away from everyone." 

Elsa gave a half-hearted shrug. "I guess I'm just that sort of person." 

"Ooh, I have an idea." 

That voice didn't come from Elsa or Anna, but one between them. Olaf's head poked out of the snow between them. 

"What if you write a note?" he continued. "Oh! Or say something. Then hide behind the throne and wait for them to answer." 

"Olaf? What are you doing here?" 

"Well, I was outside looking at the stars, and I walked by this glass house and I thought 'who lives in a glass house? Glass people?' And then I remembered Kristoff's family is rock people, so maybe there _were_ glass people. But there was just you two. I guess they moved out." 

"Olaf, it's a greenhouse," Elsa said. 

"It is?" He looked around. "But it's clear. Except now, when it's filled with snow. So that makes it the white house." 

"It's called a greenhouse because there'll be green things in it," Anna answered. "We're going to grow plants here. The glass so the sun can come in." 

"Ohhhhhhhhh... like a house for _summer_! Ooh, except when it's cloudy. Clouds are no good." 

Anna giggled. "Well, we can't control that part." 

"Oh. Then we'll have to tell those ones to go away." 

Anna and Elsa looked up. Thick clouds hovered overhead, thick and roiling like cotton blankets. 

"It was clear just a moment ago," Anna said. 

"Yes, it was," Elsa said with concern. "They look kind of..." 

"Stormy?" Anna ventured. 

"Unnatural," Elsa said. 

Olaf jumped onto the snowpile. He waved his stick arms. "Go away, clouds! Go away, we don't need you right now," Olaf yelled. 

There was a plok. A raindrop smacked against the glass roof. 

"Oh, they're rain clouds!" Olaf said. "I love a summer rain, with the smell, and the mist, and the raindrops tickling your nose." 

Another plok. Loud, like a ball bearing hitting the glass. A roll of bassy thunder. Then another, and another. 

"I don't think that's rain..." Elsa said. 

The greenhouse echoed with heavy smacks. Each drop clouded the glass with blurry water, instead of dribbling over the side. One glass pane cracked. 

"It's an ice storm!" Elsa said. The two of them climbed out of the snow as more streaks appeared. Freezing rain cracked against the panes like shattering rock. 

Elsa freed both her arms and pulled Anna out. "Run, run!" 

A panel in the roof shattered, sending shards of glass raining in the center of the room. 

Anna picked up Olaf's body. They sped out of the greenhouse. Droplets of ice pelted like small stones raining down. It felt like needles stabbing their scalps. 

"Ow, ow, ow," Anna said.

Finally, they reached the overhanging eaves of the castle. Now in safety, the three of them stared up, jaws agape. The sleet covered the land, coating each blade of glass, each rock, each roof, in thick ice. And it wasn't stopping. 

"Why is there an ice storm in the middle of summer?" Anna said. "Elsa... what did you do?" 

"Nothing," she replied. "This isn't my power. I think." 

In case it was, she held out her hands. She thought of love, of the two next to her, and tried to take back the ice. Nothing happened. 

"Whatever's happening, it's not me." 

Elsa bit her lip. She just hoped the citizens understood that. 


	3. Retread Paths

Rapunzel paced around the royal conference table. Her long loose hair followed her around, like a snake nibbling at her heels. 

Every important person in her life and the kingdom sat at the table: the king, the queen, the five royal councilors, and sub-department administrators. 

"Dear, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," Queen Arianna said. 

Rapunzel stepped on a tress. The tension yanked her head back. "Ow. I forget how heavy it was." 

"Hmm, blonde hair, one-hundred fifty thousand per head... seventy feet long..." The administrator for science and alchemy wrote some figures down on a piece of paper. "About ten pounds. Wow, I never thought your neck would be that strong." 

"It used to be." Rapunzel tilted her head. A rapport of bone cracks emitted. Everyone cringed. 

"I have another question. Hair grows at one-half inch per month. Six inches per year times eighteen is one hundred and eight inches. Or nine feet. Your hair should be one-seventh of what it is currently." 

Flynn cast her a sidelong glance. "Zeekin. This is _magic_ hair." 

"That brings up a good question," the queen said. "Does it still work? Does it still have its... magic?" 

"Here." Commander Ansel took out his utility knife and cut a gash across his forearm. "What happens now?" Ansel asked. 

Flynn grabbed a handful of hair off the floor and wrapped it around the wound. He nodded to Rapunzel who began to sing. 

" _Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse..."_

A bright gleam emanated from her scalp and flowed down the threads of hair to Ansel's arm. When the song was over, Flynn unwrapped it. The wound was gone. 

Rapunzel fought back tears at hearing herself sing that wretched song again. "Doesn't anyone have any ideas?" she asked. 

She returned to the chalkboard and the scribbled results of their brainstorming. Everything from divine intervention to little pixies pulling out her follicles. The unpredictable nature of magic turned the discussion into wild mass guessing. 

"Maybe we're asking the wrong questions," said King Frederic. "Instead of wondering why it grew back, maybe we should think about what to do with it." 

"How so?" Rapunzel asked. 

"This could become the key to a golden era. No soldiers need to die during battle. Accidents from fallen mill wheels or faulty equipment would become inconsequential. Given proper rules, things like diseases, childbirth, and the pain of old age could be wiped away. Corona could become even more prosperous and populous." He smiled, searching the table for proponents. 

"I hate to disagree with you, your majesty." Commander Ansel said. "But I must. This isn't the boon you think it is." 

"Ansel? What do you mean?" 

"What I mean is--and correct me if my understanding is flawed--Rapunzel had committed to stay in the tower as a slave to her foster mother. Flynn cut off her hair, knowing it would end his own life. But the act of sacrifice saved both of them." Ansel focused his cold eyes on the king and queen. "Such a sacrifice does not return without a price." 

The table fell silent. 

"When I joined the corps, the state of affairs was standard. But now there's a horse as the royal guard. They use frying pans as sidearms. Our lost princess came back after spending her entire life locked in a tower by an evil witch. And she has extremely long magic hair that can heal wounds. I accept these are not normal circumstances." 

Maximus turned to the king and cocked his head, as if to say "he has a point, you know" 

"But the world isn't without order. It desires structure, stability. A cause creates an effect. An action has a consequence. And nature does not rescind its consequences. This didn't happen without a reason. And until we know the reason, we cannot trust it." He put his knife down. "My solution? Cut it off. Return to the status quo." 

The table's eyes went wide at the suggestion. Rapunzel stroked her hair. "Well... yes, we could do that." 

"Now hold on," Flynn said. "I mean, I was laying there, dying, only thinking of her. I knew what it meant to cut off her hair. But now... it's back." 

Zeekin nodded. "That's true. Why are we looking a gift horse in the mouth?" 

Maximus whinnied. 

"Sorry. I mean cutting it off would be a waste." 

The king and queen looked at Rapunzel. "You're the one with the hair. You should make the decision." 

Rapunzel twirled her hair around her finger. It made her think of Mother Gothel, of her small room, of the view from the one window at the top of the tower. "I don't think it's such a bad idea." 

Zeekin stood up. "Sadly, I doubt it will be so easy." She flared her sleeves. "Note this. Her hair has remained loose for hours and not a spot of dirt. Not a piece of glaciated debris. There is more to this trick than we know. And by its nature, would prevent anyone from taking it away again." 

In a flash, Ansel whipped out a pair of scissors. Before anyone could react, he yanked away a chunk of Rapunzel's hair and cut. The blades snapped like twigs, rattling on the floor. 

"Her hair is even stronger now. Stronger than steel. It's not going anywhere." 

The table let out their collective breath. But the quizzical expressions remained. 

"All we've succeeded in doing is bring up more questions." Rapunzel flopped her head on the table. Pascal patted her shoulder with his tiny green arm. 

The conference petered out after that. Everyone was exhausted, frustrated, and talked out. The king and queen hugged their daughter and reassured her they'd solve this, no matter what it took. 

Later in the night, Rapunzel paced the floor of her bedroom, brushing, and brushing, and brushing her hair. "It's back to this routine, I guess," she said. 

Flynn sat up in bed reading. After the meeting, everyone agreed to divide research into different subjects to cover more ground. The cover his book said "Historie of the Anatomie Melancholia with Regard to Uncertaine Territories" Inside, he'd placed "The Twinkling Blade", the second story in _More Tales of Flynnigan Ryder_. 

"Can you appoint royal assistants to hair?" 

"You're the princess." Flynn was a little distracted. He was getting to the part where the caretaker of the mansion confessed of the traps in his castle mansion to his guests. 

Rapunzel almost tripped over another loop as she crossed the room. "Ouch. This is going to kill me before we ever figure it out." 

"Take it easy, Blondie. We'll figure this out. Don't worry." 

"I'm not worried, I'm just freaking out. It's okay to freak out, right?" 

"What if someone's made this happen?" Flynn asked. "What if it's not something that occurred?" 

Rapunzel stopped. "But who could do that? I've never heard of that kind of power. Even in stories." 

Flynn shrugged. "Stranger things have happened." _And if they keep going, they probably will,_ he added under his breath. "Why don't you come to bed? It's not like we're going to solve this tonight. Come on, don't make me give you 'the smolder'." 

Rapunzel huffed. She gathered up her hair into a giant ball and sat by the edge of the bed. "Um... this bed isn't big enough for the two of us." 

"Oh, I see. Love me, love my hair. That's how it is, huh?" Flynn joked. 

Rapunzel heaved, aiming for the center of the bed, but missed. The mound of golden locks landed on Flynn's face. 

"Mmf." 

Rapunzel reached end over end, pulling like naval rope, until the coil was unraveled. 

"Maybe I can just leave it on the floor tonight?" Rapunzel asked. 

"Yeah, let's try that." 

Rapunzel arranged her hair so it cascaded over the side of the bed. For all the tension and anxiety of the day, it was easy to give herself over to sleep. Her nighttime void was dreamless. 

Until she was suddenly broken out of it. Something was wrong but she didn't know what. Then a handkerchief wrapped around her mouth. Her scream came out as a muffled lurch. 

Someone with thick hands grabbed her arms. They yanked her out of bed, then tied them behind her at the wrists. 

Bound and gagged, she sang out as loud and high as she could. The dark room lit up with shocking yellow light. Her kidnapper turned away to shield his eyes. "Gaah!" 

"Hm?" Flynn was always a light sleeper, from his years as a thief. He stirred, then jumped up. 

"No sounds, Rider." A cold blade touched her neck. "Me and the princess are taking the window out, nice and easy. And there's nothing you can do about it." 

_Nothing he can do,_ Rapunzel thought, _but me..._

Rapunzel bashed her head backward, cracking his nose. Then back-kicked him under the kneecap. Being barefoot all her life had given her heel the toughness of a block of wood. 

He yelped and his grip unfurled, giving Rapunzel the chance to step away. His feet stood in a coil of hair. 

She grabbed a handful and yanked. The hair drew trigger-taut, wrapping around his shins. He flipped back, banging his head against the wardrobe and knocking him out. 

"Didn't even need a frying pan for that one," Rider said. 

Rider called the guards. Soon, all the important people in the castle were in Rapunzel's room, most in their nightclothes. Rapunzel ran to her mother and father. While they enveloped her in their arms, Flynn approached the kidnapper. He was standing on his knees, arms shackled behind him. 

Flynn pulled back his bangs. "What's your name?" 

"Omis Ravir. The terrible and powerful," he said. 

"More like Omis Ravir, the moron who thought he could kidnap the lost princess. Her parents finally found her after eighteen years and you try to take her again. Did you think they weren't going to send the entire Corona military after you?" 

"I won't be the last to try," Ravir said. "Everyone knows the princess's hair is back. They're talking about it how much it's worth. Who could pay. And I don't mean gold, I'm talking eternal life." Ravir looked at Rapunzel. "And they might decide they don't need your whole body, just your scalp." 

Rapunzel gulped. Her mother tightened her arms around her. 

"Take him to the dungeons," King Frederic commanded. The guards dragged him out of Rapunzel's bedroom by his shackled hands. 

Flynn rubbed the back of his head. "He's got a point, you know. If I was still a thief... well, I know she's worth more to me than the entire kingdom. But now she's worth that to everybody else." 

"Everyone wanted to know what happened to me, so I told them. I thought it wouldn't matter. The hair was gone. It was over with," Rapunzel said. 

"It's not your fault," the queen said, rubbing her daughter's back. 

Flynn said, "How are we going to do this? We'd have to lock her in a room away from the world to keep her safe." 

Rapunzel frowned at Flynn. 

"Then what do we do?" the king asked. 

"We could send her somewhere," the queen said. "Just for a while so we can figure this out. If they don't know where she is, they can't take her." 

Rapunzel and Flynn gave each other agreeing glances. "I can go to Arendelle, with my cousins. We were at Elsa's coronation a year ago, remember?" 

"Oh, yes, with the whole... winter thing." 

The king and queen agreed. It was far away, it was safe, it had allies to welcome her, and no one there knew about her powers. 

"I'll make arrangements right away. A ship will sail before dawn's light," King Frederic said. He left with the queen and a bevy of stewards to make arrangements. 

"We'd better start packing," Flynn said. 

"No, not you," Rapunzel said. "We need to pretend nothing's wrong, so no one knows where I am. That means you stay. Plus Maximus will need your help to figure out how this break-in happened." 

"Goody. More time with apple-breath. I can't wait," Flynn deadpanned. 

"I'm going to miss you," Rapunzel said. She hugged him. "Take care of my library." 

"Don't worry. You'll be back in two weeks. By then I'll have gotten through all the new Flynnigan Rider books." 

"Okay, but don't get moody when you get to Book Two, Chapter Five." 

"Why? You know what happens?" 

"You think you're the only one who reads those books?" she smiled. 

* * *

Eric ordered every scholar and professional who knew Ariel's secret origin to be woken at once. He gathered them into his chambers around the bathtub--the commandants of royal affairs, the royal doctors. 

Meanwhile, Ariel lay half-submerged in the bathtub, a towel over her top, looking up at them. She felt like a little girl being punished. 

The bathroom doors became a revolving door as physickers passed in and out. They performed examinations and consultations, held discussions with each other outside the doorway. One doubted the veracity of it all, saying it was clearly a costume. Ariel answered by curling her tail over her head, something no human knees could manage. The doctor left white-faced and mumbling to himself. 

"Did this happen as soon as you touched the water?" one asked. 

Ariel shook her head. "I was already in the bath, talking to Eric. And then my legs... just... this!" She pointed at her tail. 

"Any odd sensations in memory?" another asked. "Dark magic? Recent experience with strange persons?" 

"I didn't know anything was happening until I heard her shriek," Eric said. "What are we supposed to do?" 

"Wrap her in parchment?" the doctor shrugged. 

Hours into the night, no one had a better explanation than "magic" And certainly no ideas on how to solve it. Ariel felt hot tears forming at the corners of her eyes. 

"Let's hold off on finding a solution for now," he said. "We're not going to solve this tonight. Let's talk about what we're going to do for the morning." Eric shut the door behind him. 

He always kept a calm head when things got out of hand. It was one of the reasons she loved him. She was a runaway carriage of emotion, galloping up and down hills, careening out of control. Eric said he admired her hotheadedness and passion, but she cursed herself for them now. 

With everyone out of the room, Ariel was able to calm down again. Now she had a chance to think to herself, but drew no conclusions. Like she told everyone, she had laid down in the water, felt her legs sealing together, and suddenly, her tail was back. No flourish, no explanation, no grandeur. 

From the discussions beyond the door, Ariel picked out words like "sorcery" and "biology" But always more questions than answers. 

She cupped some water in her hands and drizzled it over her fluke. Her body felt alien--she was used to smooth skin there, not the fish tail. It made her feel like she didn't belong this country. 

The voices petered out, until Ariel could only hear her husband. The door opened. He sat on the edge of the tub and cupped his hand behind her neck. She hunched into him like a kitten. 

"Well, at least you can talk this time," Eric said. Ariel snickered. 

"I'll guess I'll have to sleep here tonight," she sighed. "Can you have Carlotta bring up some fresh water?" 

"Is that all you need?" 

Ariel nodded. "As long as there's some moisture, my tail won't dry out. It has a... a mucus to keep it protected." 

"Ahem," said Sir Grimsby from behind the door. "Eric, may I speak with you for a moment." 

Eric lifted himself off the edge of the tub. He shut the door behind him, but not all the way. Ariel could hear what they were saying distinctly. 

"I fear that things did not go so well?" Grimsby asked. 

"No one has any answers. Not even a guess." 

"I saw it in the look on your face. Then this may be an ongoing problem." 

"Looks that way." 

"I hate to bring this up, but have you considered what to do for the long term?" 

"Long term? Grim, this only happened a few hours ago. No, I haven't given much thought to long-term. We can say she's sick. Or visiting relatives." Eric said. 

"But for how long will that last? A week? A month?" 

"However long it takes," Eric said. 

"The longer it goes on, the more people will talk. The more rumors there will be. You don't hear the things I hear." 

"Like what?" 

Grimsby sighed. "Make no mistake, she is well-loved by the people. But a woman appears out of nowhere, from no known kingdom, and the prince marries her three days later. Most people blamed it on the 'witch' that enchanted you during the 'first wedding'. But if people stop seeing her by your side in public, they may become confused. Even suspicious." 

"Are you saying we should tell people the truth? About her origins?" 

"That's one solution," Grimsby said. "Not the best, I admit. It's the furthest thing I want. We must also consider that her absence will do nothing for the endorsement of the people. In fact...." Grimsby paused, as if saying the next would hurt him. "There are some that would be happy to have her removed from power." 

"What?" 

"They blame her for the recent changes regarding fishing and trade." 

"That's preposterous. _I'm_ the one who initiated those changes. I signed those into effect. By my own will, not hers." 

Grimsby paused. "True. But many are still unconvinced from the justifications you gave. Plus, you made them _after_ you were married." 

Eric sighed. Long and low and heavy. "I understand. But... it's late, and I'm sleep deprived. Could we talk about this tomorrow?" 

"Of course. I didn't mean to worry you, Eric. Just to make you aware of the issue." 

"No, no, it's fine. You're right." 

Eric reentered the bathroom. Ariel shifted, trying to be nonchalant about eavesdropping. A little water splashed over the side. 

"Hi, sweetie," Eric said tiredly. 

"I was thinking," Ariel interrupted, "that maybe this might not be the best place for me. We might have better luck finding answers if I return to the sea. It's not like people on dry land know a lot about mermaids. Plus the castle's kinda designed for people with feet. Stairs and all." 

"Are you sure? I'm sure we'll come up with something." 

"No, no. I'll feel better if I can help, instead of hiding here. I mean, I can't just stay here. It's too easy for someone to accidentally find me. I'll need water constantly, like a plant. I won't have anything to do but read. Even Max doesn't come near the bathtub." 

"I guess you've got a point. But hate the idea of you being on your own." 

"I won't be on my own. I've been a mermaid before." Ariel giggled. "They know me there." 

Eric smiled and massaged her hand. "You're right. Maybe your father can help. His trident turned you back into a human once before. It should work again." 

Ariel smiled and nodded. "Now the big question is, how am I going to get out of here?" 

Eric ran his fingers through his hair. "I have no idea." 

There was a knock at the door. "Eric," Carlotta called in her sing-song voice. "I have the water you asked for." 

At least here was a friendly face. Not another doctor. Eric opened the door. The robust Carlotta stood there, carrying a big cauldron between them. 

Eric's eye fell on the big bowl, sloshing back and forth as it went by. 

"Carlotta, do you know anything about dresses?" 

Her chubby head nodded. "Well... of course. Why?" 

* * *

In the middle of the abyssal night, Eric and Ariel walked out of their bedchambers. A nearby guard, standing as straight as his pike, noticed them. His eyes bulged with curiosity. 

The princess was wearing a bright pink, fantastically large dress. It had giant shoulder puffs, a skinny taffeta torso, and a skirt that looked like half a balloon, not unlike a pastry. It seemed more appropriate for a wedding than going out at night. 

Prince Eric was not formally dressed, but escorted her as if they were. They walked arm in arm, one step at a time, as if floating across the floor to a most elegant ball. 

"Prince Eric," the guard saluted. "Do you need any assistance?" 

"No. Thank you," Eric said. "The princess is merely leaving the castle for a while. She needs to visit some relatives." 

The guard nodded. Prince Eric turned toward the staircase. Princess Ariel revolved around him as if he were a pivot point. 

"Oh, dear. Stairs." Ariel muttered. 

The two of them stood as if they didn't know what how to go down stairs. 

"Oh, actually," Eric called. "I could use your help. Could you take the princess's other hand and help lead her down." 

"Certainly, sir." The guard leaned his pike against the wall. "Is anything the matter?" 

"The princess has... injured her foot. Her feet. Her legs. Walking's very delicate for her. Please make sure she doesn't fall down the stairs." 

The guard took her other hand. The princess's feet bumped against each step oddly, as if she was sliding down. He would have liked to see what was going on, but the skirt covered her legs like a curtain. 

"Is, uh... is this what the doctors were coming in and out for?" 

"Yes," Ariel said. "It's an unusual condition. But my family should have a cure." 

"Has a carriage been fetched? I can call for-" 

"No need," Ariel said. "I don't want any fuss." 

"Right," Eric said. "Discretion. Understand?" 

"Yes, sir." 

At the bottom, Ariel let out a long sigh. 

"Thank you. You can return to your post," Eric said. 

"Yes, sir." The guard climbed back up the stairs. For hurt feet, the princess walked as if gliding on a cloud. He shrugged, picked up his pike, and returned to his post. 

The prince and princess turned and moved toward the back of the castle. They took the tighter, servants' hallways and didn't pass anyone else. No stairs either. Eric peeked out the rear door. Nothing but the ocean surf pounding against the rocks. 

"All clear," Eric said. 

"Unh," Ariel said. She slipped her arms out of the poofy sleeves and mangled the eighteen layers of fabric to get it off. Her old seashell bra long discarded, she had to wear an off-white chemise to stay modest. Luckily she could craft one with two bay scallops and a band of rope. She tossed the dress aside, revealing the giant cauldron of water she lay in. It rested on a wooden board with wheels. 

Eric lifted her out. She draped her tail over his arms. 

"I hope I'm not too heavy." 

"Who? You? Never. I could carry you across the shore and back." Eric walked down a path that zig-zagged down to the beachline. Crumbly dirt transformed to gravel, which transformed to white-brown sand. 

Eric bent down to a tide pool and slipped her into the water. The icy shock felt strangely homey to her. 

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she said. 

"It shouldn't take long." He bent down and gave her a kiss. "One zap with the trident and you'll be back to yourself. Right?" 

"Right," she said, looking down. 

"What, you don't think it'll work?" 

"Oh, no. I'm sure it'll work. There might just be some family stuff I need to take care of first." She flipped back and dove into the water, disappearing under the murky waves. 

Transitioning from land to sea was like learning to read again. Mermaids spent their lives traveling in three dimensions. But one year as a human, and she was swimming straight across as if the ocean were a plain. She corrected her course with a flick of her strong tail, and submerged further. 

The sea was much emptier than she remembered, but she was still close to shore. Soon she would see the golden palace of Atlantica, the flashing turquoise and lilac lights of Eel-lectric City, the whirlpools and tide reefs full of motion and vibrancy. But before all that--before seeing her friends or family--there was one place she had to go. 

Her father's grave. 

* * *

The crowd looked ugly. 

After Elsa returned to Arendelle, she ordered the interior entrance reconfigured into a platform where she could make speeches, execute royal decrees, and address the people. The castle gates would act as a symbol of keeping communication open. Right now, Elsa was thinking twice about this decision. 

When she appeared, the crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and jeers. She didn't expect them to grab torches, but they wanted answers. 

Elsa raised her hands over her head. "Calm down, calm down, please." 

A servant who was chipping away ice from the platform with a metal stick passed behind her. Elsa grimaced--this wasn't helping her situation. Anyone not woken by the storm woke up to houses, roads, and plants glazed in an inch of thick frozen water. 

Anna stood off to the side, a forlorn expression on her face. She took a step back to let the ice-chipper by and fell against a pot of crocuses. It tipped and fell off the platform. The pot shattered, but the plant remained unharmed, encased in ice. 

The crowd quieted as Anna sheepishly cleaned up the mess. At least her awkwardness did some good from time to time. 

"Listen, please," Elsa said. "First, I want to assure you that this is not my doing. Princess Anna can attest to that. She was with me when it started." 

"That's right. She was just as confused as me. We sat inside watching all night. She never lifted a finger," Anna said. 

Elsa gave her a "stop-talking" look. "I know everything's covered in ice, but at least the storm is stopped. Again, this is not my doing. It's something else." 

"Or some _one_ else?" a man in the crowd shouted. "This ain't no natural storm." 

"You're right," Elsa said, maintaining composure. "My advisors tell me there are records of unusual phenomena. But nothing like this. Not only that, but the ice isn't melting. There are no clouds, and the air is warm." 

"So get rid of it!" an old woman said. "You have magic." 

"I can't take it back. It's not my ice." She patted her hands in the air. "I assure you we're doing everything we can. We're better prepared this time-" 

The people didn't want to hear that. They didn't want to know about the stocks of surplus food and wood or the shelters or the blankets and coats that clothiers had spent extra hours weaving from scraps of wool and yarn. They wanted action. They wanted someone to blame. 

_They're getting too unruly. Close the gates..._

Anna stepped forward. "Hey, she's telling the truth. Something else caused this. I mean, this isn't even like last time. There's no clouds, there's no snow monsters..." 

Elsa rolled her eyes. 

"I mean... there'sss... noooo... monsters coming to get us. So we should all calm down." 

They didn't. The crowd stepped forward. 

"What are you going to do about my crops? They're ruined. Again!" 

"My farm is going to go bankrupt." 

"I can't get out of my house. The door is stuck. I had to climb out the window." 

_Close the gates, close the gates..._

"Why don't you just leave and take your ice with you!" 

"Take it back!" a woman shouted. Others around her picked up the cry. "Take it back! Take it back! Take it back!" 

Elsa scanned the crowd, eyes wide. Flashbacks from a year ago--mouths open wide, backing away, the rough noise, the shaking hands. In the ruckus, Anna's voice pierced. 

"Elsa? Elsa!" 

But it was too overwhelming. Elsa turned and fled into the castle. Anna started to follow, but slipped on the ice. 

The guards opened the door for the queen. Elsa looked back once. The crowd stood pumping their fists in the air, blocked by the intimidation of the guards. Anna reached out her hand. "Elsa?" 

Elsa looked away and darted into the castle. Anna just couldn't understand. People like her couldn't know what it was like to have your time constantly demanded. How draining it was. All she wanted was to get to her chambers. At every door, someone poked a head out. 

"Queen Elsa, the viceroy from Eldora is waiting in your conference room." 

"Queen Elsa, your approval on tonight's dinner?" 

"The ice storm's damaged the stables. The stablehands want to know what to do with the..." 

No, no, not now. If she didn't get away she was going to lose control. But she was the queen, she couldn't get away. Instead, she ignored them. She just needed some time. 

Like a war veteran crawling towards shelter, she shut the door to her chambers. The echo of the slam reverberated around the tall walls. 

Blessed silence. All sound muted, save the noise in her head. 

A knock at the door. "Elsa? Elsa?" Anna sounded panicked. "Elsa, please, please don't do this again. Don't leave me behind. I can't take this again..." 

Elsa seized. Anna thought she was abandoning her again. 

"I can't... I can't go through this, talking through the wall. Please, don't shut yourself out again. Don't-" 

Elsa yanked open the door and pulled Anna in. She embraced her sister with a panicked fervor. Anna patted her back with mittened hands. 

Anna stuttered. "I thought you were..." 

"Never," Elsa said. "Never again." 

They stayed that way for a long time. Elsa basked in the other body next to hers. Someone who didn't need support or validation or approval or answers. Just her sister, who would never leave her. Not even when she had turned into a beast. 

When the moment had passed, Elsa released her grip. "I just... I needed a second to breathe. I felt like a balloon about to pop." 

"You ran out so suddenly," Anna said. 

"I know." Elsa turned around and sat on the bed. "I was ready to close the gates, but I promised I would never do that again." 

"I'm glad you didn't. This isn't your fault," Anna said. 

"I know. Father said there would be times like this. Where they blame you for everything, even if it's not your fault. When things are fine, no one cares. But if things are bad, they start thinking about guillotines. And you still have to put on a smile and tell them everything will be all right." She examined a corner of the floor. 

Anna brightened. "Maybe the trolls know?" 

"The trolls?" Elsa rubbed a hand through her head. "I don't know. I thought they were supposed to be healers... or 'love experts'." Elsa made quote marks with her fingers. 

"But they know magic. They knew about your power." 

Elsa rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm not even sure if this is magic. Besides, the last thing I want to do is involve more people." 

"Here she is." Olaf walked into the open door. "I knew this is where she'd be. After the throne room. And the kitchen. And the bathroom." 

Kai, the castle's chief attendant, stood behind him, but did not enter. He politely knocked on the door. "Queen Elsa? Is everything all right?" 

"Yes. Please come in." 

Kai was one of the servants Elsa and Anna's parents had kept on when they had to isolate themselves. 

"The crowd has been subdued. Princess Anna said a few kind words, then the ministers took over. They are engaging the citizens for ideas what do for the short-term. The rabble left after that." 

"That's good," Elsa said. 

Kai coughed. "I think you should know, I heard some of them discussing 'pyramite' before they dispersed." 

"What's pyramite?" Elsa and Anna asked. 

Kai acted startled. "I thought you knew. Your father investigated whether or not it could control your powers, but it was too rare to be feasible. I've only heard of it being sold in small quantities." 

"Is it like pie? I love pie," Olaf said. 

"It's a metal that's incapable of freezing. Or prevents ice from forming, or repels ice, I'm not sure. People have been talking about using it against you... your powers, should the need arise." 

"Someone with pyramite would be invincible against you," Anna said. 

Elsa's eyes opened wide. "Kai... that's brilliant." 

Anna cocked her eyebrow. "Brilliant? Um, Elsa, did you hear what he said? They want to use it against you." 

"It's a way to fight against _ice_. And what's Arendelle covered in right now?" 

Anna nodded. "Ohhhhh... right. But where are we going to find it?" 

Kai said, "If I recall what your father said, it could only be found in one mine, created long ago, in Corona." 

"Corona," Elsa said. "It makes sense. That island was formed from a volcano and drifted closer to mainland." She turned to Kai. "Get a ship ready. I'll sail there at once." 

"But what about Arendelle? Why can't you send someone else to get it and bring it back?" Anna said. 

"It would be quicker if I went. Then I'd know whether it can stop my powers or not. And if the ice leaves with me, then it _is_ me causing it all, and so much the better." 

Anna touched Elsa's shoulder. "Elsa, our parents died sailing to Corona. Remember? And they left in a hurry, without planning for the weather." 

"That doesn't mean it's going to happen to me. A ship is faster. I'll take Olaf with me." 

"Oh boy!" Olaf shouted. He jumped out into the center of the room, his little feet wiggling in the air. "I can't wait to see Bologna." 

Elsa bent down to Olaf. "Co-ro-na. It's called the land of the sun, so it's kind of like a town of summer." 

Olaf's jaw dropped. "A whole town just for summer? I can't believe it." 

Anna smirked. "I don't think they'll be able to believe it either."


	4. Anchor to the Past

It was the sea that told her.

For weeks the ocean looked like a cold, rotting soup. Not a roiling storm of anger, but an inert, lifeless lapping against the shore. No wind, no swells, no waves. It became impossible to sail a ship without rowers.

Ariel was human, but she still had a kinship with the sea. When she placed her foot in the water, the sparkle of life's flux seeped into her skin, filling her with that sense of nostalgia. Her blood danced. It was the same euphoria of singing at a concert or swimming from a shark or finding a new human treasure. The sea gave her life, and opened its arms whenever she returned.

But not this time.

There was no joy when she put her foot in. No blessing. Even if the sea was cold, it was never absent of the vital warmth. Something had happened. Something big. Something sad. And that was when she knew.

The full story she gathered over time, asking the few oysters or panfish that floated close to shore. It happened suddenly. Without pain, but without warning. Some said it was meant to be--he had done everything he was meant to in this life. The kingdom was at peace. His last daughter had grown up and married. He started falling asleep on his throne, staying in bed longer. He still recognized everyone. Still smiled at his girls when they came to his bedside.

And one day he just... faded away.

But Ariel couldn't come back for the interment. There was simply no way for her to return to the sea. Once she had seen a human in a metal fish sink to the edge of Atlantica, but she never found anything like that on the surface. Nothing that could let a human revisit her birthplace.

Eric would have helped her, if she'd told him. But they'd been fighting about... well, lots of different things since the honeymoon ended. Living up to being a ruler. Bearing an heir. Shirking responsibilities.

So, one day, she woke at sunrise and spent the day watching the ocean, making a wreath of flowers. At sunset, she threw the wreath on the water and wept as night fell.

Eventually, the sea brightened and the winds returned. Because the Earth keeps spinning, clocks keep ticking, and trees keep growing, no matter who left or arrived.

The royal graveyard lay at the edge of the palace's land. She had explored it a great deal when she was four years old, and thus, hadn't explored it since. And like always, devoid of anything except floating jellyfish.

Moss and coral covered the oldest tombstones, rendering them unto a reef reaching all the way back to a canyon wall. The first grave, Oannes, had grown into the rockface of a cliff. A fitting fate for the first king of the seas.

The freshest graves were the nearest, each a testament to their resident. She passed by Neried, the most recent queen. Seeing her great-grandfather Neptune's tombstone reminded her of the time her father tried to teach her the sea calliope. Of course, she had no talent for it, and sloughed her lessons so she could tinker with the Stringamajigger she'd found, which she now knew was a harp.

Ariel smiled to herself. So many adventures she'd had. She still had adventures, now that she was human. But they were more about self-discovery. Learning that shoes were not "foot bags" and snow could burn your skin. But these were all things everyone else knew. People at the castle gave her a sense that, after a year, her stumbles were no longer cute.

Then she reached the final grave. She ran her fingers along the name, embossed in brass lettering. A bas-relief of his torso stood above, holding the trident across his muscular chest and wisping beard. He looked regal, majestic, except for his eyes. Below the white, bushy eyebrows and wrinkles, there had always been tremendous weight on his soul. All that was gone now at least.

Below the bust was the royal prayer he delivered at his coronation, before any of her sisters were born. Each king or queen had their own--an oath of the ideology with which they intended to rule.

"To protect Atlantica from all enemies. Let us keep harmony and affection and reject the wicked and malicious. Bear every burden, support every friend. Unite every world in one heart," she read.

It wasn't a perfect era. Atlantica had its problems: the ten year moratorium on music, war with the octopans and sharkanians, the death of the her mother at an early age, constant xenophobia of the surface world. But at the end, it all worked out.

"No more problems, Daddy," Ariel whispered to the grave.

It felt good to grieve, but she couldn't do it forever. The obligation to stay human gnawed at her. Everyone had sacrificed so much to bring her to this point, every moment as a mermaid felt wrong. To change back, she would need the power of the trident. She needed the power of a god.

The ruler of the sea was the only one who could properly wield the trident. And the _heiress presumptive_ was Aquata, her oldest sister. She was good-hearted, but a little aggressive. She could make a good ruler.

In fact, each of her sisters would make a good ruler. They all fell into the role. All except herself, who'd rather be searching a dank cave than doing anything princess-y.

In the dark blue, the palace was a glowing, golden beacon. The human world had nothing like it. They made their castles small and stout, covered in walls and towers to keep people away. You couldn't do that in the sea. Maybe that's why Atlantica was so full of diversity and harmony.

She scurried along a jagged trench, hoping not to be seen by any passing fishfolk. News of her reappearance would only cause delays.

In the distance, near the outer grounds, was a curious sign that wasn't there before. The writing wasn't the greatest, so she had to squint and read slowly.

"If you are being chased by a giant crab, head towards the red dot."

Ariel looked around. Way in the distance, there was a signpost with a red dot in the middle of some spires. But a giant crab? How ridiculous. Why would there be a giant crab so close to the castle? The only way-

The trench wall below her burst open. A giant claw sliced through the cloud of silt and rocks.

Ariel dodged back. The claw latched onto the end of her tail. Its gnarled grips held her fluke so hard it could tear. She beat against the crab's carapace.

The claw held her up to its eyes--one coal-black, the other a bad opalescent orb on its eyestalk. Hanging like a fish in market, she banged against the pincer thumb. It loosened just enough to free her tail as the second claw came swooping down. She darted out of the way and floated up.

The crab was the size of a cottage. A crosswise crack in its top shell exposed the pulsating alabaster skin underneath. Ariel took the chance to catch her breath. At least crabs couldn't jump-

The giant beast hunkered down, then burst out of the trench. Sharp pincers jabbed at her like darts in a wind. She weaved in and out but her muscles were tired--she had been out of the sea for so long.

_Red dot! Red dot!_

As fast as she could, she swam to the red dot. The crab leaped after her. With its buoyancy, it could jump from sand patch to sand patch. Ariel looked back once. Its spotted claw ripped a seam of bubbles behind her.

The red dot was in front of an rope and metal framework, with links big enough to fit through. She swam through the fence and up to the red dot in the middle.

"Now what?" She looked around.

"Head towards the blue dot!" someone called out.

Blue dot, blue dot. Where was the blue dot? She searched all around. Fences to the sides. In the back. On top. This whole thing was a cage.

The crab crashed against fence. Clanging metal reverberated in her ears. It bashed against the cage, trying to get through, but unable to. She relaxed-

The bottom of the fence bowed forward as the crab pushed. It rose like a drawbridge, letting the crab slip under. The gate slammed shut behind it.

Ariel backed away. Where was that blue dot?

The crab lunged for her, its mandibles rotated like a corkscrew. She rushed to the other side of the cage as its claw raked behind her.

"Over here! This way!"

Where was that voice? Ariel saw it. The blue dot. Against a cliff wall.

Except the crab had her backed against the fence. A claw stabbed into her path whenever she tried to escape. She couldn't go through the legs, they were moving too fast. One wrong step would spear her like a shrimp.

She grabbed a rock from the sea floor and lobbed it into the air. _Please land right, please land right, please land right_.

The giant claw seized her pause as its opportunity. Its claw lanced forward, piercing the fence and trapping her between the pincers. The moment it closed its grip, she'd be scissored in two.

The rock landed on the crab's back. It reared up and burbled with pain. Ariel took the chance and slipped through the fence, rushing to the blue dot.

The crab slammed its claws against the cage, searching for where it came in. But the doors only swung one way, keeping it trapped.

"Yyyy-ess!" called out a voice, hiding behind a rock. A pudgy yellow and blue fish wearing silver shoulder pads jumped out, pumping its fin. "Are you all ri-... Ariel?"

"Flounder?" It couldn't be. Not Flounder. Flounder was a scaredy-catfish. Why was he wearing a royal uniform?

"I... I can't believe it. Ariel!" He launched forward and hugged her. They tumbled end over end. "I haven't seen you since you turned human. What are you doing here?"

"I... it's a long story. What about you? Did you build this?" She gestured to the angry crab, slashing at its bonds.

"Yep. That guy's been terrorizing the outer palace for a while now. He's got a nasty temper. We call him Mr. Pinchy."

"We?"

He puffed out his yellow, scaly chest, showing the silver sash across his chest. "Official warden of the royal defense force. Charged with outer grounds security."

"I can't believe it." Ariel's jaw dropped. "You're a palace guard?"

"Can't call me a guppy anymore, eh?"

"Never again," she grinned. "Never in a million years. This is what you do now? Chasing giant crabs? Building giant cages for them? The Flounder I knew would turn eight shades of yellow at that."

Flounder shrugged. "When you left, I had to find some way to... well, I guess without any adventures, I had to grow up and make my own." He grinned sheepishly. "I got the idea from a human thing we found. Remember? I got stuck inside and you freed me?"

Ariel nodded. "Scuttle said it was a fazzamagorff, that humans used it for a sport called blonskerball."

"You tried to get the ball inside, but no one could get the ball out, so they threw the net away after each game." Flounder chuckled.

She offered her arm to Flounder. "Well, would the palace's finest guard be willing to escort the youngest princess into the palace?"

"Of course, my lady. These are dangerous waters. I hear there's giant crabs about."

Ariel giggled. "I hope there are brave fish about who know how to take care of them."

"Nope, no one here but us guppies."

They swam by the crab. It snapped a claw at them, bouncing against the cage. Ariel and Flounder jumped. Then looked at each other and laughed. They stuck their tongues out at it and continued on.

"You know, technically, you're not a princess anymore. You're a queen."

"Not just yet," Ariel said. "He's still a prince until his mother and father relinquish the crown. They rule from the mainland. Eric's castle is like their summer home. He lives there since he loves the ocean so much-"

"No, I mean here," Flounder said. "Even though Attina is the eldest, but she never had a coronation. She kept putting it off. There was almost going to be a second Sargasso War, but Alana jumped in and signed a big treaty. Then Dudley found an old law that whoever held the king's crown at his passing was the next ruler. And that was Adella. Meanwhile, Andrina has been holding the most court time. But Aquata and Arista have been traveling to other kingdoms, handling foreign affairs."

"So basically, they're all queen at the same time."

Flounder nodded. "Too much time passed. So all six of them were trying to claim it and there was a huge fight. Sebastian came in and told them all to stop."

"Sebastian's still around? I thought he retired by now."

Flounder sighed. "The king's death hit him pretty hard. He spends most of his time sleeping on the throne."

"The throne?"

"The girls don't use it. The girls spend all their time in the meeting chambers, arguing with each other. I think he feels responsible for them. He has to stick around and make sure they don't kill each other. It's... not been the most successful reign."

"Really? I always thought I was the black fish in the school. They always got along great, and I was the one who made father mad."

"It's been constant bickering for the past six months--what ministers to appoint, what laws to sign. It always seems they're split down the middle--three against three." They arrived at the top of the steps to the palace. "Maybe you could help break the stand-offs."

Ariel chewed her lower lip. "You know what? I think I'd like to talk to them on my own. I mean, it's been a year."

"Sure, sure," Flounder nodded. "I bet it'll be a touching reunion. You'll be all 'hey' and they'll be like 'waaah!' and then everyone will be all 'yay!'."

Ariel held her mouth as she laughed. Same old Flounder.

He waved a fin. "Let me know how it goes. I've got to check on Mr. Pinchy. See you later."

Ariel kept waving until Flounder was out of sight. Instead of entering the palace, she swam up and around the many spires, sneaking through the pores of the towers. Everyone in the castle was asleep.

At least, she thought so. Until, close to the throne room, a burst of shrill noise emitted from the meeting chambers.

"You can't expect all the oysters to get up and move like that!"

"We don't have a choice. How do you expect the caravans to get through the gulch?"

The first voice was Attina. The second, Aquata.

Unable to resist, she ascended to the ceiling and peeked through a hole. Down there were her sisters, sitting around a semi-circle table. Arista's head lay on the table, her pink tiara over her eyes. Adella was doodling something. Alana stood next to an easel of seaweed parchment. Aquata and Attina pointed at each other while Andrina tried to call their attention to a scroll in her hand.

"Why do we need all those shipments of octopus ink anyway? It's expensive," Attina said.

"How else are we going to write up all these laws!" Aquata said. "Sawfish-head here keeps creating new ones."

"I am not a sawfish-head," Andrina said.

"Ahem..." Alana tapped her pointer on the easel. "We still haven't talked about the Memorial Garden. If we put it closer to the Grand Tetras, we can put in an extra row of sea daisies."

"I thought we already made a decision on this," Aquata said. "Adella, what do the notes say?"

"I don't know," Adella said sleepily. "Arista's supposed to be the pen pusher this time."

"Then what are you writing?" Andrina looked over her shoulder. "Is that a list of boys coming to the ball?"

Adella covered her page. "Maybe. Shut up. Bug Arista. She's the one sleeping."

"Arista, wake up," Attina yelled.

Arista perked her head.

"Stop napping. You're supposed to be taking notes," Attina said.

"I can't help it," Arista yawned. "These meetings are ruining my beauty sleep. I'm going to look terrible for the Mermaid's Ball."

"Remember when we could solve everything by having a party?" Adella said.

Ariel shrank back. Yes, she remembered those times. Now Attina had bags under her eyes, Arista's fingers clenched like a sea spider. Ruling the sea had taken a heavy toll on their youth.

This was not the time to make her presence known, even if she'd wanted to. If they knew she was returning, they'd pull her into their problems. She was only here to turn herself back to a human. The trident wasn't with them, so she left the window.

The throne room's walls were dark and grimy. The chair had begun to grow barnacles and they hadn't remodeled the room to fit the new regime. Six sisters couldn't sit in the throne at once, and so it became underused.

The trident sat in its holder--a golden metal flower--behind the throne. It also looked neglected. The sea kingdom was at peace, so no one needed to take it out. It wouldn't be like her sisters to declare war on anyone. Nevertheless, it still maintained a guard complement of one--an old friend.

"Sebastian..." Ariel whispered. Then she hummed a tune Chef Louie always sang. "Les poissons, les poissons..."

His yellows eyes bulged. He jumped up, shrieking. "Aieeeee! What are you-? How could you-?"

Ariel giggled. "It's just me, Sebastian."

Sebastian blinked. "Am I seeing tings... Ah-ree-el? Is dat you, child?"

She smiled. "It's me. You're not dreaming."

"I never taut you'd come back. Not after..." he looked away.

"Do you always sleep on Daddy's throne?"

"Well, since your father is passing, it just... reminds me of him."

"I understand," Ariel said.

"And he never told me how comfortable it is. Mmm, like a sea sponge on a bed of sand."

Ariel laughed. "Well, he did have to sit in it a lot." This felt like old times. Sneaking around the palace, talking to Sebastian, escaping danger with Flounder.

"What are you doing here?" He gasped. "We got to have a celebration."

"Shh, no, no. I'm not... I'm not here for long. Somehow I turned back into a mermaid. I don't know who or what did it or how. But I need the trident to change back. I figured if it turned me human once, it could..."

Sebastian followed Ariel's gaze to the holstered weapon. "But only de true ruler of the sea can use its full power."

A few times in her past, she'd... ahem... acquired the trident to defend herself or the palace against some nasty thieves or octopuses. She'd never been able to get it to do anything but shoot energy bolts.

"I know. But if the daughters of Triton are the rightful rulers of the sea, I could use it now, right?"

Only members of the royal bloodline could take it out of its pedestal. Ariel reached and took out the trident with ease. It hummed with an ethereal metallic sound.

Sebastian sighed. "I don't know child. De king told me it took a lot of self-control using de ting."

She held out the trident, brandishing it like a long sword. What did she have to do, just wish? Will it to happen and it would?

Ariel turned the weapon so the three tines pointed at her. She looked like she was about to stab herself. Just as she was about to try, she remembered she was deep underwater. She remembered transforming in Urusla's lair, flailing her arms, struggling to breathe and only taking in horrible deadly water.

"I'm going to take this to the surface... just in case something goes wrong."

Sebastian chuckled like an old crab. "At least you're finally learning from your mistakes."

"See? I did pay attention in school."

"School wasn't de problem. I was always finding you in school. It just was nevah _your_ school!"

"If everything works, I'll return the trident as soon as I reach shore. Tell my sisters what I did and I'll send a message where I dropped it." She bent down and kissed him. "I promise, you'll see me again. Once I get this all straightened out, I'll drop you a line. Er, I mean..."

"Hah, you _have_ been around humans too long," Sebastian barked. "Go on, child. Go back to your prince. I'll keep de throne warm for you." He yawned and settled back into the chair.

Ariel rolled and rose past of the castle. She halted at the ocean's ceiling, short of breaching it.

After a deep breath, she gripped the trident with two hands and concentrated on turning herself human. Nothing happened at first. Then it began making its signature thrumming sound. The golden glow brightened.

Lightning shot out of the central spire. The staff flashed, bolts of electricity shooting left and right. It vibrated in her hands.

"Wha... what's going on?" She tried to let go, but her fingers stuck fast, no matter how she writhed.

The water around her roiled, churning up and down as if stirred by a great spoon. Cerulean colorant darkened to a sickly gray. Streaks of lightning whorled out like crossbow bolts.

Ariel struggled to the surface as waves tossed her about.

Above was no better. Whirlpools formed under swelling tides, cresting in frothy white foam. The sea had become a seething vortex of destruction.

What was happening? Why couldn't she control it? If she couldn't stop it, it might spread across the whole ocean.

* * *

The _K.N.M. Freya_ cast a long shadow over the dock, encapsulating Elsa and Anna.

"That's a big ship," Anna commented.

Captain Hemming leaned over the edge of the ship. He was middle-aged, but still kept a tone frame.

"Ahoy, my queen." He shivered. "Bit nippy out today, isn't it?"

"You could say that," Elsa called up to him.

"We're ready to sail when you are."

The first mate shoved a loading platform over the side. It landed with a thunk, scattering ice chips.

Elsa took a deep breath. She turned to Anna. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise. Remember, you're in charge until I get back, so try to be a role model. That means not stuffing chocolate in your face."

Instead of laughing, Anna looked away, despondent. She leapt forward and embraced her sister. "Please, please be all right."

"Everything will be fine. I sent word for Kristoff to return. He'll be back in a day or so."

"I know. It's just... ergh, everything is so floopy. Just... be careful."

"I will," Elsa nodded solemnly. "Come on, Olaf."

"Elsa, someone crushed this tree flat. We need to take it home and help it," Olaf said.

"It's not a tree, Olaf. It's how we get on board."

"Ohhh, okay." He stepped onto one of the wooden nubs. "Okay, I'm on the board. Now what?"

Elsa rubbed her nose. "Just... wait for me."

"Elsa..." Anna said. "One more thing before you go. I'm sorry, I have to ask. You aren't leaving to... avoid dealing with the people?"

"What? No. Of course not. I'm leaving to find a solution for our problem. It's just good luck that Corona happens to be our allies."

"Okay, good. I didn't think you were trying to run away."

"Run away? What do you mean? I've never run away."

"Well, right. I mean, except last year. At coronation."

"That was different. That was..." She turned away. "I have to go."

Olaf and Elsa climbed up onto the ship's deck.

"Welcome onboard Her Arendelle Majesty's Ship _Freya_. We'll take off as soon as you give the word," Hemming said.

"The word is given, captain," she said. "How long will it take us to get to Corona?"

"The _Freya_ is the fastest schooner in Arendelle's fleet. We'll get to Corona in a day if the weather's good."

The captain signaled to his crew on the forecastle, who set to work throwing ropes and turning gears. Olaf walked past them, oblivious of the action. "Wow, this is bigger than I thought."

"This is the magic snowman? Your... creation?" Hemming asked.

Elsa nodded. "Is it okay?"

"Oh, yes, of course," he stammered. "Just that... well, I was expecting something... er, is he always like that?" the captain said.

Olaf approached the main mast and wrapped his twig arms around it. "Hi, Freya. My name is Olaf and I like warm hugs."

"Most of the time. You get used to it," Elsa said.

As the ship left port, the queen and her companion waved politely to those on the dock. Elsa blew Anna a kiss before she could see her no longer.

Her kingdom faded into fog. A wispy mass of clouds swirled over the city. It didn't look to be following her, just like she had suspected.

"But if it's not me, then who is it?" she whispered to herself.

Elsa headed to the bow to watch the sun set and to get out from under the sailors' heels. She leaned forward, bracing her arms on the cabers where the bow came together. Wind pelted her face.

The sea felt like a different world. One where nothing stayed still and pleasant. It was constant change, constant motion. Here one moment and gone the next.

Maybe this was a bad idea. Could Anna even handle running the kingdom for a few days? She never took to schooling as well. Elsa threw herself into her studies because that was a way to control her power. Her parents let her get away with less education in the ways of queendom because they pitied her. She had to remain in seclusion through no fault of her own. They probably expected--and quite correctly--that she wouldn't need to take the throne.

And what did Anna mean--trying to run away? She never tried to get around her responsibilities. Leaving to find help was an unfortunate consequence. Her people loved her now. She was "the snow queen"

The people could hardly be blamed for being suspicious. But when she tried to explain that the evidence was circumstantial, they jumped back to distrust.

Why did this keep happening? The ice skating parties, the open gates. Didn't they understand she wasn't a monster anymore? What if they were standing at the docks with torches and pitchforks on her return? She'd never be able to come home again. This might be the last time-

The wood under her hands crackled. A film of frost spread outward. She yanked her hands away.

"No, no, control it. Control it."

She remembered Anna, Kristoff, Anna and Kristoff together. Sledding and royal feasts and traveling minstrels and all the new people they had met. New people that made her self-conscious and awkward-

_No, don't think about that!_

"Hi, Elsa. Whatcha doin'?" Olaf said.

Elsa unclenched her eyes. The little snowman looked up with doe eyes.

"Olaf? Am I a good queen?"

"Of course! Wait, why? Is your crown not fitting anymore?"

Elsa touched her tiara. "No, the crown's fine. I'm just not sure people want me to wear it. Since I was coronated, there's been nothing but trouble. Always fixing past mistakes, and there's these new ones. What if it's me? What if I'm not a good queen? Or even, what if I'm not a good person?"

Olaf gasped. "Of course you're a good person. Anna loves you so much it thawed her frozen heart."

"Anna thinks I'm running away from the troubles."

"Oh... like you did on coronation day."

"Right. But that was because people thought I was a witch."

"And when you ran into the castle when they were chanting 'take it back'."

"I... That was different. They jumped on me. If they would just wait until I'm ready..."

"And when you didn't answer Anna's question at the dock a few minutes ago."

"It's not my fault. It's only been a year since we opened the gates. I'm still getting used to everything. It's like being a new me. Why can't they understand that?"

"Ye didn't stay to make 'em understand," said a third voice.

A sailor sat on a barrel further down deck, cutting up an orange with his utility knife. He offered a wedge to her.

Elsa shook her head. "What do you mean?"

He swallowed his orange. "You don't do well with eyes staring at you, do ye? Surprises. The unexpected. Not your fancy."

"No. But it doesn't matter. The people will get their answers as soon as I find them. It doesn't mean they have to act like a mob."

"An' how about your sister, the princess? I saw how ye reacted on her. Bit of a shut-'er-out ye gave."

Elsa scowled. "That's not your concern. Maybe I acted a little like I used to, but I was under stress. I'm still getting used to being queen. She needs to understand that. Everyone does. Everyone needs to wait while..."

"How long you expect them to wait?" the sailor said. "Because they don't wait around forever. Can't spend a lifetime expecting someone to shape up. Take me." He swallowed his orange. "First thing I did on shore was shack up in a tavern. M'wife didn't understand. She hated that I didn't come to her first. Waited for me to figure it out. I didn't. She left and found another man who didn't need a drink by the fire and a few friends."

"I think she was right. You couldn't give her what she wanted."

"Didna say she was wrong." He gestured with his knife. "I'm saying people only got so much patience for flaws. They only got one lifetime. Can't spend it cooing over some bad piece of meat. If they can't find it, they'll find something to replace it."

Elsa looked away. She almost destroyed the kingdom to escape her isolation. Even after the castle gates were open, people still gathered at them calling for her head.

And Anna... she had made her sister wait ten years before opening up to her. And when times got tough, she lapsed. She had a decade to make up for and Elsa still had trouble tearing herself away from work. Arendelle could replace their queen, but what if Anna wanted to replace her sister? Would Anna stay if things slipped back to the way they were?

The sailor's eyes widened. He stood from his barrel and looked into the horizon. In the distance, dark gray clouds were sweeping towards them, made more ominous by the absence of sun. Like the black wool of a sheep, the clouds roiled toward them, spreading in all directions.

"Ooh, what is that?" Olaf said, struggling to see over the edge of the boat.

"Storm coming," the sailor said, his mouth full.

"They usually come up this fast?" Elsa asked.

"No..." he trailed off. "This ain't no natural storm."

The ship's deck tossed up and down more violently than when they started. Streaking bolts of lightning of yellow fired from every which way, as if the sky was raging.

"Ohhhh!" Olaf said. "The stars are exploding with joy!"

The captain called from the man deck. "Man the rigging. Batten down the hatches. All hands! To your stations!"

Elsa stayed at the bow, out of the way of the yelping sailors, creaking wood, and growling thunder.

Then the rain came. Tiny needle-sharp pellets stung her skin like tiny darts. The wind added to the blast, forcing her to turn away. Olaf slid back and forth, waving his stick arms in the air.

Sailors rushed around the deck, tossing ropes and tools to each other. Others swarmed to the mast as the ship rolled like a baby cradle. Heavy gales tossed the men swinging on ropes like wind chimes.

One of the sailors heaved a shoulderful of rope across the deck, knocking into Olaf. His head bounced across the deck.

"Whoa, here I go." Olaf's head spun along the deck, caroming off the kicking legs. "Look out! Here I come! Watch your feet!"

Elsa chased after him, weaving between the passing workmen. Wind and rain pushed against her. A rough hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Queen Elsa! Best you get down below!" Captain Hemming shouted over the wind.

"I will," she shouted. The wind carried her words out to sea before they left her lips. Another midshipman pulled the captain toward him.

"The ship can't take this! We weren't ready!"

Elsa took the opportunity and grabbed Olaf's head.

Olaf said, "You know, this is my first time on a boat, but I'm having mixed feelings about it."

Elsa ran across deck to Olaf's body and put his head back on. A sound like the rending of earth rose muted every gust of wind and shout. The erratic sailors ominously paused. Elsa didn't see what they were looking at.

"Watch out! The main mast! The main mast!"

Sailors scattered at the tremendous creaking, trying to avoid or repair the damage. The giant tower careened like a giant chopping arm and smashed into the deck.

Elsa snapped back from her gaze of horror, and ran to the front of the ship. Shards of wood joined the rain stabbing her face. All she could think was that her parents died while sailing into a storm.

Ice formed under her fingers, spreading along the wood. _No, no,_ Elsa thought, _not now_. She turned around, lifting her hands free, even as the boat threatened to toss her off deck. Icicles trickled down the crossbars of the sails. Iceball chunks formed in the air and dropped, gouging the deck. She turned back to the sea.

There was an iceberg in the water below her, maturating from the pounding rain. It grew larger with each lightning flash. Sharp, jagged spires protruded from the mountain. The waves carried them closer together.

Elsa shouted to warn the crew. They were too busy trying to save the ship. She pointed. She jumped up and down.

Then the iceberg hit.

Her panic set in as the ship's hull shuddered from the impalement. The deck shook back and forth. Gravity grabbed her and yanked her over the side. In her flailing, she found the edge of the boat. Hanging over the side as the boat rose and fell, she yelled soundlessly for help. The wind sucked her words out into nothingness.

Olaf leaned over the side. "Elsa! I'll give you a hand!"

His arm separated. She stuck it back in his snowy body.

"Okay, not what I intended. Um... maybe the other arm."

A huge wave buffeted the ship. Ice cold water reached up and licked her feet. Olaf fluttered his arms and fell over the rail.

"Olaf!"

The three sections of his body separated, drifting away from each other in the swells. At one crest, his twig arms waved as his head shouted "I'm good!"

The frosty ice forming under her hands gave her some traction. Elsa looked down at the pitch black seas.

The waves reached up like formless fingers, greedy to grab and consume her. Bright light flashed again. She couldn't risk turning her eyes away. In the murk, she thought she saw a glance of red. On a girl floating in the waves...


	5. Don't Break the Ice

"Oh no," Ariel muttered.

She'd managed to contain the trident's power through sheer force of will. It no longer fed the storm, but still it raged with anger. Try as she might, she could not take the squall back. Maybe it would fizzle out, given enough time.

With the briefest flash, a ship appeared.

"What are they doing out here?" she said to herself. An unlucky ship caught in the storm she caused. "This is all my fault--I have to help them."

She dove under, where she didn't have to fight against the beating crests. The ship's bulging wooden belly thrummed like a whale, heaving up and down.

Ariel emerged from the waves. Shrieking winds tickled her ear. Maybe she could use the trident somehow.

She pointed it at the boat. As soon as it began its harmonic thrumming, tiny crackles of electricity danced toward the three tines. She yanked it back into the water. She couldn't risk doing more damage.

Waves and wind tossed her about as she watched the boat. The sailors seemed capable enough, she'd been on enough boats to know. Their courage kept control. Some kind of chubby white animal ran by on stubby legs. What was that? Some kind of weird dog?

"The main mast!" someone shouted.

Ariel saw it. They hadn't lowered the main sail in time. The winds had created a giant crack snaking halfway up. She ducked under the water to avoid its thundering fall.

Bubbles gushed everywhere, fogging her vision. She swam closer to the bow. No one would be there--they would be worrying about the rudder. As she rose, her head banged against something hard.

An iceberg? Here? Where did this come from? There were no glaciers in this part of the world. It wasn't even the right season. Did the trident make this too?

Ariel breached the surface in time to see a sight that chilled her to the bone. The iceberg and the ship headed straight toward each other. No time to even blast it with the trident.

The great mountainous ice chunk stabbed into the breast of the ship. The figurehead crashed into the water. Water burst out the fissure, as if it were the ship's lifeblood.

A sailor fell over the side, screaming as he hit the water. Ariel dove down and grabbed hold of him. Struggling, she lifted his heft back over the waves.

They were lowering a lifeboat. A heavy crew of sailors stood crowded together while two others worked the winches.

"Captain's still down below!" one of them yelled above the maelstrom.

"I'll get him," shouted a female voice.

The sailor turned to the unseen figure. "No! Queen Elsa! You have to get on the lifeboat."

"This is my fault!" she shouted.

"No! My queen!"

Her fault? Who would think that? She was the one who'd wielded the trident so poorly. If men were still under the decks, it was her responsibility to get them out, not anyone else's.

She whispered into the semi-conscious sailor's ear. "Head west. There's a trade route there. Someone will pick you up." She dove under and pushed the man towards his friends. They picked him up, never seeing her.

Ariel swam to the front of the ship. The iceberg had wedged itself so hard into the ship's gut the broken planks looked like teeth drawing it in. Ariel darted around the mass, but could not find a way inside. The trident couldn't pry apart the ice and her thin arms couldn't push herself in.

But she could see in. The iceberg had crashed into a cargo bay. Only two feet of space separated the ceiling from the rising water. A man flailed his arms, his foot caught in a trap of split wood.

The woman descended the stairs into the dark hull. She had bright white hair and looked a little older than Ariel.

"Queen Elsa!" the man gurgled. "Get out of here! Save yourself!"

"Grab my hand." She anchored herself to the banister with one arm and stretched as far as she could with the other. It wasn't enough.

"I can't! My foot's caught."

Elsa dove in. Swimming blind, she felt for the captain's leg and reached it. Bracing herself on the hull, she yanked his foot out of the trap.

The captain swam free and slogged to the stairs. Queen Elsa rose out, gasping for air, and banged her head against the ceiling. The water line had risen another foot.

"Elsa! Quickly!" The captain waved his arm, beckoning her.

Elsa wiped the wet out of her eyes. Without warning, a rope snapped, toppling a shelf of barrels and crates. The debris barricaded the way to the exit.

"Elsa!" the captain shouted.

Elsa took a deep breath and tried to swim forward. As soon as she hit a barrel, she veered off course and ran into a wall. With the remaining four inches of space, she took what she perceived to be her last breath. She dove down again and swam like an eel, wasting precious energy to stay in one place.

Ariel scrambled again to get in. If she didn't, that girl was going to drown. But the ice wouldn't budge. She jammed the trident in-between the iceberg and the ship, figuring she'd done enough damage already, and blasted. Shards of ice and wood burst out, leaving a new hole.

Elsa pressed against the boxes above her head, thinking they were the ceiling. Each second that passed, she flailed more, time running out.

The two saw each other. Elsa gasped. The last remnants of her air escaped in tiny bubbles. A second later, her eyes rolled up in her head and she passed out.

Ariel dragged her out the same way she came in. When they emerged, the lifeboat was gone. Maybe the ship had drifted out of position while they were down there. Maybe they had sailed off.

A gigantic wave surged toward them and the ship. Ariel tried to swim away, but the wall of water dragged them into its swell. It descended, tossing them end over end. Ariel managed to keep her hold on the girl, but when she reached the surface, the ship was overturned. No going back to it now.

Elsa coughed. She was still alive, but still unconscious. Trident in hand and Elsa in the other, Ariel began swimming for the nearest shoreline. Even as the storm deteriorated behind her, the water seemed colder than normal.

* * *

Anna watched the _Freya_ sail until it fell below the horizon. By that time, the morning had passed. She stayed on a bench, watching the water undulate in natural rhythm.

Gerda came to check on her once. "Princess Anna, do you need anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

"Queen Elsa had a meeting this morning with the royal glassmakers. I suppose... in her absence... you were meant to attend."

"Is that now?" She gathered up her skirts. "That's right. I guess I am the queen regent."

"No, ma'am. The meeting was half an hour ago. Right now, you're free."

"Oh. Then I suppose I'll just sit here until the next thing, then?"

"I suppose. There is a document that the lord of Themocles was waiting for, but... It's not an emergency." Gerda walked back to the castle.

The truth was, Anna didn't know what to do with herself. If she went back, she'd be wandering the castle, talking to the walls. And she had spent so many years doing that. The years of lonely horse rides and picnics by the sea were supposed to be past. She had Elsa back now. She had Kristoff. And Sven and Olaf and all the people of Arendelle.

So she surveyed the sea, like a captain's widow. If there were any meetings she was supposed to attend, no one told her. No one bothered her. Nothing happened.

Until a ship appeared on the horizon.

Anna stood up. It was a schooner, like the _Freya_. She expected it to turn towards one of the merchant docks, but it kept sailing towards the castle.

It wasn't an Arendelle ship, the colors were wrong. Then the purple and yellow flag of Corona flapping form the crow's nest breached the horizon.

Why would they send a ship here? Especially when Elsa had just gone to them. It was too much of a coincidence.

Corona had a standing invitation to dock in the royal harbor. Anna stood on tip toes as dock workers scampered about. They caught the ropes as thick as tree trunks and wound them around pylons.

"What ho! A passenger wishes to disembark," a man above called out.

Everyone on deck stared at her. She was the highest authority here--she had to give the order.

"Oh. Oh... oh! Yes, yes, please! By all means, embark!"

The sailors on the boat lowered the ramp with a heave. A woman with blond hair poked her head out.

"Anna?"

Anna scrunched her eyebrows.

"It's me. Rapunzel."

"Rapunzel... it is you!" Anna squealed and hugged her cousin. "What are you doing here? What.... what happened to your hair?"

The last time they had seen each other, Rapunzel was brunette with short frizzy hair that reminded her of a teddy bear. Now a thick blonde trail followed her. She knew fashions were different in Corona, but this...

Rapunzel tussled with a strand. "That's part of the reason I'm here. It's a long story. I don't... it's kind of a secret," she whispered.

Anna zipped her lip. "Say no more. It looks good on you though. Are you having more fun?"

"What?"

Rapunzel took a step and slid on some wayward ice. "Whoa! What's with this? Did something happen with Elsa again? Did she-"

"It's not Elsa." Anna said. "Let's get to the castle. I'll tell you on the way."

Rapunzel took her valise in one hand and a bunched-up ball of hair in the other. They waddled like penguins down the street. Anna stopped at a street corner while a horse and cart walked by. The horse's shoes had been fitted with spikes, making it walk like the ground was made of glue.

People huddled around fire pits in the streets. Sweet sweepers hacked at the ice in the roads with picks. Rapunzel cringed at the dejected look in their eyes. Another year of devastated harvest and commerce. She'd be dejected too.

"I think you're right. Something about this is different than last year," Rapunzel said.

"Right. Last year was snow and cold covering everything. This was an ice storm that lasted the entire night. And I was with Elsa the whole time. She didn't lift a finger. I mean, to make it. Not to help. I mean, she did help. As much as she could. But it wasn't her magic, so she couldn't undo it."

"I get it," Rapunzel said. "Then where is she?"

"She's-" Anna stood straight up, her eyes widened, and her arms stretched to her sides.

"What?" Rapunzel asked. "Is it my hair?"

Anna pointed. "Th- th- th- th- th- there's a bug. On your shoulder."

Rapunzel looked at her shoulder. "Oh, that's Pascal. He's not a bug, he's a lizard."

"You keep a lizard in your hair?" Anna asked.

"Well, he's my friend. We go everywhere together. And he can do this." She held him up to an icicle. Pascal's skin rippled and turned frosty blue.

"He can turn into ice?" Anna asked.

"No, it's just the color. Haven't you ever seen a chameleon before?"

Anna peered at him. Pascal slicked his spikes back.

"I guess he is kinda cute. Can he turn into any color?" Anna shuffled her feet. "We should take him to the gallery. See what kind of colors he can change into."

"You have a gallery? With paintings?" Rapunzel's eyes brightened.

"Lots of paintings. Wanna see?"

Rapunzel and Pascal nodded excitedly. As soon as they reached the other side of the street, Rapunzel's head yanked back. Her legs flew into the air. Someone crossing the street had stepped on her hair.

"Whoops," Anna said. She began pulling the wayward tresses back, looping it around her arm like a cord. The people around Rapunzel were staring.

"Are you okay?" Anna asked.

"Yeah." Rapunzel rubbed her rump. "I think my idea of staying inconspicuous just backfired."

"Hmm," Anna muttered. "Maybe our first stop should be the royal hairdresser."

* * *

The Royal Hairdresser lay in the corner of the castle's barbery, her tongue hanging out and panting. Rapunzel twirled in the mirror, examining the barber's work. Her long, thick braid, decorated with white, purple, and yellow flowers, looked exactly like she had described it. It still looked unusual because of its size, but it fit in nicely with Arendelle's fashions. Plus she could walk without tripping again.

"I love it. Thank you so much."

"You're... welcome... princess..." she gasped. She held up her crooked fingers and whimpered.

Anna and Rapunzel headed down the hall to the gallery. Pascal poked his head out of the braid to look around, then snuggled back in.

"So where was I? Once she heard about something that could stop ice, she jumped on it like a dog on a bone. Or me on a brownie. Have you ever heard of anything like pyramite in Corona?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "I'm still learning about my country. I suppose it could be there. And even if it isn't, my parents will stop the whole kingdom to help her."

Anna took hold of the double doors by each handle and swung them open. Rapunzel's eyes quivered at the sight. So many beautiful colors, resonating swirls of muted olive-greens, bold violets, new combinations of crackled pewter and powdery coal.

"These are amazing. I've got to come in here some time and sketch these. Do you have paints at the castle?" Rapunzel asked.

"I'm sure we do, if no one left them outside," Anna grinned.

Rapunzel stopped in front of one. The portrait depicted a girl with a salmon spring dress kicking off her shoes as she swung from a gnarled tree. "This one looks familiar," she said.

"When I was little and Elsa wouldn't play with me, I got so bored I started talking to the pictures. That's Lord and Lady Peppadew."

Anna pointed at an elegant man and woman bowing to each other at a party. The woman had a floor-length white skirt in Spanish style and the man wore a decorated military uniform.

Anna said, "They're meeting for the first time. She's a peasant disguised as a woman of distinguished heritage and he's the moody son of a general who'd rather write plays. Those people laying down, having a picnic, are Hubert Cumberdale and Marjory Stewart-Baxter. Oh, and over here..."

Anna skipped to a picture of a group of people hunched in discussion. "This is the council of Science and Stars. And they are all amazed that I have just created _this_!"

She held up an imaginary flask. "A new magic potion which gives people horse voices or makes feet never stop dancing or a black ooze that turns spaghetti invisible. And all the people are looking around like 'mm, yes, yes, I see, very interesting, what uses could this have'?"

Rapunzel giggled. "You had a lot of time on your hands."

"Yeah, it was... kinda lonely. Elsa was so scared of her power she didn't want to be close to anyone. Least of all me, because she loved me so much. That's why I'm so confused why she took off. She just, whoop, got on a boat and left. Was it something _I_ did?"

"I think she did the right thing. It was a dangerous situation, ready to collapse. Let's not worry about her right now. She's doing what she thinks is best for the kingdom. We should do our best from where we are."

"Right," Anna said with enthusiasm. "And we're doing... what now?"

"Find out what's causing the ice. If there's a source, we can stop it once and for all."

"Great... so where is that source?"

Rapunzel sighed. "I don't know. Do you have any ideas?"

"Not a clue. Maybe it's magic? The ice should be melting away by now. Maybe it's an evil witch."

"If it's a person behind this, what do they stand to gain by turning Arendelle into an icy wasteland? People don't do things for no reason. Either satisfaction or revenge or the crown."

"Elsa's the only person I know with the power to create giant ice storms."

Rapunzel touched her hair. Winter returns to Arendelle, stronger than before. Her magic hair returns, stronger than before. Could the two have anything to do with each other?

Anna yawned. "Maybe we could pick this up tomorrow. My brain is all _pffsht_. You know?"

Rapunzel nodded. "Let's go around town tomorrow and ask people if they saw anything."

"Yes! Maybe there's an eyewitness. I'll get you some shoes with ice spikes. Don't leave home without them," Anna chirped.

The door to the gallery opened. Servant Kai held up a tied bundle of papers.

"Princess Anna. We _really_ need you to take care of this. By tonight."

"What is it?"

"The new year's budgetary guidelines. These are the final revisions that need to be signed off on."

"Isn't the queen supposed to do that?" Anna asked.

"You _are_ the queen," Kai said. "The acting one."

"Oh, that's right, I am." Anna giggled. "And I was gone all day, wasn't I?"

"Yes. This needs to be approved so it can get to the council administrators by tomorrow. Without it, no one will be able to form their financial proposals. And without those, no one's going to send off their mercantile ships. Nothing would come in or out of the kingdom. Hundreds of people will be out of work."

Anna took the folder from his sweating hands. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You need to examine each bill and compare it to the previous. Make sure the classifications for each proposal match. Each expenditure needs to be approved..."

Her smile dropped to a droll grimace as she paged through the documents. Each leaflet held a cryptic puzzle of words and numbers.

"Can't this wait until Elsa comes back?" Anna asked. "Do I have to spend the rest of the night reading this tiny type? Figuring out costs and funds and quantities?"

"If it's not delivered by tomorrow, we'll have to start draining the treasury. And if we do that, all confidence in our economy will drop. We just can't afford that, in light of last year's snow and now this. Arendelle could go bankrupt."

Anna groaned. Rapunzel leaned over her shoulder, reading, which gave her an idea.

"Well, um... how about Rapunzel takes care of it?"

"Ma'am?" Kai looked confused. "Is that wise? You're the queen regent."

"She's my cousin. So that makes her the queen regent-regent, right? Or something like that."

"I don't think that's a thing," Kai said. "But I suppose it's not illegal."

"Rapunzel, please?" Anna gritted her teeth and pressed her hands together.

Rapunzel's eyes dashed back and forth along each line. "I guess I can take a look?"

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." Anna hugged Rapunzel's shoulders and jumped up and down. "Come on. We can do it in the royal dining room. I'll have the chefs cook us up something snacky. Have you ever heard of a chocolate soufflé? The chef of the French ambassador made one for us and it. Is. Incredible."

Anna led Rapunzel out of the gallery by hand, leaving Kai behind.

* * *

Elsa woke herself up with a coughing fit. It heralded a bucket of saliva-imbued water puked onto the rocks.

When done purging, she lifted herself up, shielding her eyes from the cloudless sky. She was on a rocky shoal island. Waves crashed against the rocky outcroppings, surrounding it with white froth. Behind her was a small cave, only deep enough to get out of the sun. Seagulls perched on the cave's roof, oblivious to their guest.

The last thing she remembered was going below deck to save the captain. She thought she succeeded. But how did she get here?

As her eyes adjusted, something moved behind one of the larger crags. An arm.

"You! You there!" Elsa called.

The arm shirked back. Elsa stood and approached. Whoever was there struggled to stay hidden. "I see you. Are you the one that saved me?"

A young girl poked her head out. Elsa stopped.

"Yes," she meekly said. She looked younger than Anna, with voluminous hair as red as a tropical plant. Still half in the sea, she emerged from behind the rock wearing nothing but a bandeau of two purple scallop shells.

"Thank you... so much. My name's Elsa."

"I'm Ariel. I'm sorry I couldn't pull you further. I got too tired. But the coast is right there." She pointed to the beach about a mile away. A fisherman's village sat in the hazy ocean mist. Maybe Ariel was a native, hence the skimpy clothing.

Elsa remembered. "What about the ship? Did everyone make it off?"

"I think so. They all got into the lifeboats from what I saw. But the seas were too rough to get to them. The tri-... the storm took a while to subside."

Elsa sat down and combed through her dry hair. Sand came away, embedded in her fingernails, when she scratched her scalp. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure." Ariel looked around, as if she were surveying the coastline for the first time. "I was just making sure you were all right before I left. If a boat came by I was going to try and flag it down. Is there someone I can send a message to? To tell them you're all right?"

"Before you left? You don't live around here?"

"No, I'm from... somewhere else. It's fine. I can get home all right."

"Without a boat? That would be quite a swim."

"I'm a good swimmer. Don't worry about me."

"Wait... I saw you..." Gauzy memories began to come back. Elsa pointed at Ariel. "I saw you in the ocean. You were floating next to the boat."

Ariel held her breath.

"Were you a stowaway?" Elsa asked.

"No, not exactly."

A freak wave surged behind Ariel. She recoiled as pellets of spray collided with her face. Her mermaid tail flicked up.

Elsa's eyes widened. It was only for a second, but there was no mistaking the fish tail where legs should have been.

"You're a... a... mermaid."

Ariel rubbed the back of her head. "Catfish's out of the bag, I guess." She hoisted herself onto the rock, bringing her green-blue tail with. "Could we keep it a secret? Just between us? I know that-"

"You wrecked my ship!"

Ariel paused. "What?"

Elsa pointed her finger. "You capsized the ship. That's what mermaids do, lure sailors to their doom. I saw you floating by before it sank. You led us into the storm."

"No! It wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to-"

Elsa reared back both hands and blasted out ice. Ariel twisted away, falling back into the ocean. Frost covered the rock behind her.

Elsa edged to the stone shore, searching for her. But cloud and froth obscured her view.

"You're not escaping," Elsa said.

She swept her hand across the shore, enclosing it within a wall of opaque white ice. It was too tall to jump over and sank heavy into the ocean floor. Elsa knew it worked because the red-haired head popped up at its edge.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Getting my revenge," Elsa said. She sent an icicle sailing through the air. The mermaid dodged out of the way.

"Stop it. Right now." Ariel held up her trident as a display of force.

Elsa knew myths of a ruler of the sea that wielded a trident. But that was a god-like, muscular man, not a nymph like this.

"You think your little fork scares me?" Elsa wound up an icy snowball and threw it at her.

Ariel swung the trident to bat it away. The projectile disintegrated, but bits of ice pelted her face. Out of anger, Ariel shot a lightning bolt at Elsa's feet.

The yellow blast cracked in front of her, scattering sharp pebbles. Elsa scampered backwards, landing on her rear.

Ariel swam up to shore, flipped down, and flapped her tail. A gush of salty water and sand splashed Elsa in the face.

She turned away, wiping her eyes as fast as possible.

Ariel returned to the wall and shot her trident at it. Elsa smirked. Not only did the little twerp not understand it was magic ice, but it was made as dense as cast iron.

Elsa gathered power in her hands and summoned it. Spikes of ice stabbed out of the wall. They grew towards Ariel, but she dove underwater before they hit, disappearing into the murky blackness.

"You're not going anywhere," Elsa said. She wandered back and forth, searching the tide pool for any movement.

Ariel lay at the bottom, clutching the trident to her chest. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but Elsa wasn't giving her much choice. Maybe if she could distract her she would calm down.

Huge hunks of jagged ice began falling all around her. She dodged the raining depth charges, backing against the wall.

There was a small crack near the foundation where the ice met the sea floor. Ariel stabbed her trident inside and fired. Bright light streamed out of the crack, then shivered up the center. The ice wall split apart, and a chunk of wall fell back into the water, on the other side.

As Elsa dropped her mines in random places, there was a thunderous shattering. The ice wall grew a gigantic crack in its middle. Its two sides sagged away, but stayed upright. Did that little mermaid do-

Before she could rebuild the wall, Ariel leapt out of the water, graceful as a dolphin. She pointed the trident and a bright flash of light shot out. Elsa turned away, temporarily blinded. Ariel landed in the water and turned to face Elsa. She gasped.

Elsa's eyes had turned bright white, like the palest arctic snow. She gritted her teeth and growled like a raging shark.

Stunned, Ariel didn't react in time to Elsa's blast. The trident flew out of her hands and embedded in a nearby rock. A mound of snow boosted her out of the water. She toppled down the slope and landed on a slick ice platform. The water covering her warm body fused to the ice, sticking her like a rat in a glue trap. Every pull tugged at her skin.

Elsa stepped forward. She stood over Ariel, eyes blazing with white hatred. A blue-white sparkling aura surrounded her fist.

"This is for my parents," she said.

 


	6. Interrogation

The astrologist's chamber was built in the tallest tower, three floors up, looking over the fjord. Staff commented how he had the best view in the castle, but wasted it always looking up. 

"Good morning, girls," High Astronomer Augie said, not looking up from the telescope lens he was adjusting. Its bulging end pointed through a slit in the roof to the cloudy sky. Next to him stood a desk with a wide mess of telescopes, lenses, star charts, books, prisms, and scrolls. 

"Morning, Augie," Anna said. 

"How is the queen today? In good spirits?" 

"I assume so," Anna said. "Have you seen her?" 

"Seen her? Isn't she standing-" Augie looked up and startled. "Excuse me. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought you were Queen Elsa." He gestured to the back of his head. "It's the braid." 

Anna laughed. "This is my cousin, Rapunzel. Elsa left for Corona yesterday. Didn't you hear?" 

"Oh... no. I was recording weather patterns. Trying to get a grasp on this ice storm phenomenon. It was the queen's last order to me." 

"Have you found anything yet?" Rapunzel asked. She stepped over the many books laid out to reach the desk next to the telescope with his notes. 

"It's too difficult to for manual observation because of the darkness. Everything is just gray. I've been recording temperature, pressure, dew point, every hour. Looking for trends." 

Rapunzel peered over his shoulder, reading through the data. Meanwhile, Anna spun the orrey in the middle of the room. Little balls representing the planets spiraled around a central yellow sun at different speeds. Jupiter revolved the slowest. Grinning, she whacked it as hard as she could to see how fast it could go. The red planet fell off and rolled under a desk. 

Anna gasped. She stood up straight, as if she were paying attention the whole time. 

"Could be a front. When areas of high pressure and low pressure collide, storms can happen. Bloody unusual storm though for this time of year," Augie said. 

"I've got books and books of strange weather phenomena back at home. Rains of frogs. Rainbows from the moon. Conic lightning." 

Augie nodded. "I've read those. But I'm a man of science. Most of those stories are apocryphal. I tend not to trust a theory that's traveled tongue to tongue across countries." 

Anna slipped away and flattened to the ground. She reached under the desk where the red ball had rolled. It was caked in dust and grime. She brushed it off daintily, then slipped it back onto its spindle. 

But it didn't seem to fit on. As she turned it, a spider crawled up the top. Anna's scream seized in her throat. She flailed her arms, accidentally spinning the orrey and knocking other planets off. Anna grabbed for the balls as they fell. 

"Then what do you think it is?" Rapunzel asked. 

"I hate to say this, but I think it's magic," Augie said. "Normally, I'd never mention the word, but we do have a sorceress for a queen, so..." 

Rapunzel giggled. "So much for being a man of science." 

He smiled and shrugged. "If it's not following the laws of nature, I don't know what else to call it." 

Anna crawled under shelves and couches, fetching the balls until she cradled five planets in her hand. She returned to the display, but couldn't remember where they went. The little planets were closes to the sun, right? Or was it the important ones? 

Augie said, "The simple fact is, the ice isn't melting and the clouds aren't leaving. If only I could leave my post, I could do some investigating." 

"We were going to go into town today to look for leads. Do you know where we should start?" Rapunzel asked. 

Augie chewed the pen in his mouth. "If anyone was close to the mountains at the time, they might have witnessed the tempest form. See if anyone witnessed something strange or unnatural. The closer to the sky they were, the better." 

Rapunzel nodded. "Anna? Can we get to the homes closest to the mountains today?" 

Anna sat up straight. 

"What happened to my orrey?" Augie asked. "Why is Earth orbiting Mercury?" 

"Um..." Anna toed her foot. "Everyone always said you should change the world. I took it one step further." 

Later, Anna got the servants to compile a quick list of people who worked in the mountains--miners, trappers, lumberjacks. First they interviewed all the castle guards assigned to patrol the tower parapets that night. 

"Let me see," said Henrik. "I was taking over for Ivar, cause he what came down with the flu that's been going around. Emanuel was on duty with me, but had to use the tinkle pot. And then I don't remember if he came back. He had a lot of water-" 

"Yes, but can you tell us what you saw that night? When the storm hit?" Anna asked. 

"Right, right. I was looking at the moon. It was a clear night. And I was looking at the moon, and thinking how much it looked like a cookie. Then I remembered the cookies my mom used to make with extra butter. They were so warm and gooey-" 

"Shouldn't you have been looking on the ground for intruders instead of at the moon?" Rapunzel asked. 

"Oh, right. I should. Unless they're riding birds. But I guess they'd have to be awful large birds, so that's not happened, has it?" 

"Not likely." Anna rolled her eyes. 

Henrik was, sadly, the most helpful of the guards, who all reported the same thing--a clear night, then clouds that formed out of nothing, centering over Arendelle's castle. 

The townspeople weren't much better. Kaia, an old woman, opened the door to them. As soon as she did, a giant black elkhound rushed out and battered them with its nose. 

"I was out for a walk at the time, dearies. Beautiful night out. Lots of stars. Cool wind coming down the mountain. Just love it." 

The dog became interested in Anna's skirt, trying to burrow into it. 

"Where were you when the storm hit?" Rapunzel asked, while the wagging tail thwapped at her legs. 

"Just a little ways out of town, I suppose. I take Rufus with me. Rufus, be nice." 

Rufus was being nice. A little too nice. The ebony hound revolved around Anna, rubbing his body against hers. He sat on his haunches, looking up expectantly. Anna gave him a friendly pat. 

"I don't think I saw anything unusual at the time," Kaia continued. "I mean besides the storm itself. Seemed to come up like magic. Everyone says Queen Elsa did it, but I don't believe that. She's learned her lesson." 

"That's what we think," Rapunzel said. "It sounds a little different than her magic. Was there anything after the storm?" 

"After we got into some shelter, I gave Rufus some treats to calm him down. Rufus, stop that." 

If anything, the command made Rufus go harder. He jumped on two legs so he could reach his nose as high as he could. Anna tried to shove him off, but the dog was a bit bulkier than she could manage. 

"Whoop!" Anna fell to the side, rather than crush the dog. This was Rufus's chance. He slobbered her face, straddling her torso to get in better position. "Help! I'm not ready for this kind of relationship." 

Another old woman opened a door, but was less pleasant. Anna and Rapunzel explained the situation. "So we're hoping you could tell us what you saw the night of the storm." 

Constantly adjusting her spectacles, she declared, "You're not the queen." 

"No, I'm Princess Rapunzel of Corona." 

"What kind of first name is 'Princess'?" 

"No, I am a princess. Rapunzel's my first name." 

"You don't look like any princess I know of." 

"She's my cousin," Anna said. "She's helping me look into this whole thing." 

"Find that Queen Elsa, I bet she did it. And her sister too. She's a collaborator." 

"I'm... her sister," Anna said. "Don't you recognize me? I'm Princess Anna." 

"Eh? Princess Anna? I thought you were her cousin." 

"No, SHE'S my cousin." Anna pointed to Rapunzel. 

"How can she be your cousin, but you not hers. That doesn't make sense," the old lady retorted. 

"No, we're both cousins. We're both princesses." 

"Then where's the queen? She should be handling this, like a proper diplomat." 

"She is. She's gone to Corona to look for a solution," Rapunzel said. 

"I thought you said you were from Corona," she pointed a gnarled finger at Rapunzel. "So what are you doing here? Is that what a queen would do? Lie to her subjects?" 

"I'm not the queen." 

The old lady turned around in a huff. "Should've never voted for this administration." 

Johan worked at the lumber mill, which lay at the foot of the mountain. He was sawing logs when the storm hit. "I was working on a godhammer--that's about a two hundred and fifty stone log. It's hardcore. When it came down the river, I was PUMPED!" 

Anna and Rapunzel shirked back. "Was the sky clear at that point?" 

Johan shrugged. "I guess so. Wasn't paying attention. You start sawing the cutlets, you get in the ZONE." He bashed his head against the mill wall. "All you see is the sawdust flying. Nothing else matters but that next cut, you know?" 

"Um, yes?" Anna said. 

He set a chunk of black wood on a stump. "And don't let nobody tell you I was slacking off. I'll give you three reasons why I'm the best cutter in Arendelle. Number one, no one can match these pieces of timber." He flexed his chest muscles, holding out fists that were the size of babies. "Number two: a log like that comes down the river, I pounce like a tiger. Rip off a chunk and grind it in my mouth, grr." He peeled the bark from his chunk and gnashed his teeth around it, like a dog with a chew toy. "Get a real taste for it, you know?" 

"So you didn't see the storm start?" Rapunzel asked. 

"No. By the time I looked up, ice was all around me. No idea what happened. I was afraid I slept through summer." 

"What's the third?" Anna asked. 

"The third what?" Johan said. 

"The third reason you're the best?" 

"Oh, I... I don't remember." He looked down at the boulder. "What was I doing with this wood?" 

Every house they went to said the same thing--clouds appeared, icy rain fell, and they want something done about it. Exhausted, Rapunzel and Anna finished their day in the mountaineer district. A wife answered the door, jiggling a baby on her shoulder. 

She looked frazzled, but straightened when the princess entered. "Oh, what can I do for you?" 

"You're Milla, right? We're just going around town, seeing if we can figure out how the ice storm came about. We know it wasn't Queen Elsa, so we're asking if anyone saw anything weird that night?" 

The baby's gurgles grew from fussy grunts to outright rage. Milla ignored it. "Sure, come in, come in. Can I offer you a cup of tea?" 

"Um, sure," Anna said. No one had invited them in so far, and they were tired of the unfriendly responses. Even if this house had a screaming baby in it. 

The mother put the tea on the stove. "I'm sorry about Samuel. He's been colicky for the last day and a half. My husband's going to see if he can find some herbs to soothe him down." 

Little Samuel did his best to drown out his mother as she balanced a tea kettle and a fire. 

"I could hold him," Rapunzel said. "Can I? I love babies." 

Milla looked confused, which Rapunzel understood. Why would a royal woman sully herself with the touch of a squalling baby, especially one from a commoner. But upon seeing Rapunzel's sincere smile, she handed him over. 

Milla exhaled as if a twenty stone weight had lifted off her neck. Samuel didn't even acknowledge that he had transferred persons. Rapunzel took the child next to a window, cradling his head, while Anna asked questions. 

"So was your husband near the mountains that night?" 

"He was. He didn't say he saw anything weird, but he got it pretty bad. When he came in his clothes were frozen. We had to cut him out of his jacket." 

Samuel's cries filled the tiny hovel. Anna and Milla had to shout to hear each other. 

"Was he with anyone at the time? Did he see what direction it came from?" 

"No, he said it came out of nowhere." 

"Is there maybe another room I can take him while you talk?" Rapunzel asked. 

"I can take him. I'm sorry, he's overtired. You shouldn't have to-" 

"No, no, it's no trouble. I've been out all day. Even a screaming baby's better company than some of the places we've been." 

"You can take him in our room if you like. That's where his basinet is." 

Rapunzel carried young Samuel into the back room and shut the door. Although it gave relief to the two outside, the small room and flat walls did wonders for amplification. 

Rapunzel sat on a chair and bounced Samuel up and down. Still he screamed. She twirled him around. Nothing. She was pretty sure swaddling him was the key and began a search for blankets. But all the ones she found were glazed with spit-up and other fluids. If she could just swaddle him, she bet she could stop the noise, give the poor mother some relief. 

Rapunzel took a bobby pin out of the back of her head. A tress of hair sprang out and unraveled on the floor. She set Samuel on the bed and laid out a ribbon of gold. Like rolling a pastry, she wrapped Samuel tight and snug. 

"Do not spit up on me," Rapunzel said. 

Samuel's cries blubbered into confused gasps as he tried to figure out why he couldn't move his limbs. But then resentment returned. He was content to lay there and scream his head off. 

Rapunzel sat in the rocking chair. "You need to get sleep, little guy. How about a song? This is a lullaby my mother... I mean, someone taught me." She cleared her throat. "Flower, gleam and glow... let your power shine..." 

Meanwhile, outside, Anna and Milla waited for the tea to steep, sitting across from each other. Milla said, "I wasn't even looking up until the ice hit. But I do remember it seeming dark outside. I don't think I was paying too much attention at the time. If I had to guess, I suppose it centered over the castle, didn't it?" 

"I think that's why people are suspicious of Queen Elsa. It's not an accident. But then, who did it? And why?" Anna asked. 

Milla nodded. "That's the question." 

"I mean, I could see some kind of magician trying to hurt us. Get an invasion force ready or sabotage. But then-" 

"Wait!" Milla held up her finger and hushed. "Do you hear something?" 

Anna paused. "No." 

"I don't either. The silence... the baby!" 

Both jumped from their seats, spilling tea on the floor, and rushed to the back of the house. Milla almost knocked Anna down. She tore open the door to find... 

Rapunzel rocking in the chair, holding sleeping Samuel in her arms. 

"Everything okay?" Rapunzel asked. 

"I... the... I didn't hear anything. So I thought... what happened? Is he all right?" 

"He's fine." 

"H-how did you... I don't know what you did, but thank you." Milla clasped her hands together as if she were praying. Her eyes glowed with absolute, desperate gratitude. "How did you do it?" 

"Just a trick I learned from my mother," Rapunzel smiled. 

* * *

"Why?" Elsa hissed. She pointed the trident at Ariel's throat. 

Ariel lay pinned to the iceberg, ice cuffs around her wrists and tail. She craned her neck away from the golden spear point. 

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident. That's why I was trying to save them. Mermaids don't try to lure sailors to their deaths." 

"Liar. That's exactly what an evil creature would say." The seabirds gathered on the island twittered like an agreeing court audience. 

"No, it's true. In fact, going to the surface is forbidden. We aren't allowed to have contact with humans. We're supposed to keep ourselves a secret." 

Elsa whipped back. "Then what are you doing here?" 

Ariel started to speak, but realized each place to start made less sense than the last. "It's a long story. I became a human because I fell in love with one. But something turned me back into a mermaid." 

"You fell in love with a human?" 

Ariel nodded. "But my father didn't approve, so I went to the sea witch, and she gave me this contract to turn me into a human if I gave her my voice. But my voice was the only way he could tell it was me. It was this whole big thing." 

"Sounds complicated." 

"You should have seen the wedding," Ariel said. 

Elsa weighed her words, but the frequent calls of the seagulls distracted her. "Then why did you cause the storm? Why did you destroy my ship?" 

"It was an accident. I didn't even see you out there. I was trying to take care of this." She lifted the fluke of her tail. "And the trident turned me human once before." 

Elsa held up the trident to her eye. "The trident... What is it?" 

Ariel cringed. "Please be careful with that. It's... well, it's mostly a weapon. But for the ruler of the sea, it has many more powers. I thought that maybe it would work for me. But..." She shook her head. "My six sisters are the ones ruling Atlantica. I guess I'm still just a princess." 

"A princess?" 

"Of Atlantica. Daughter of King Triton." 

"Triton..." Elsa remembered the name from her studies on Greek history. He was a god who dwelt in a golden palace in the depths of the sea. His father was Poseidon--master of the ocean--known for wielding... a trident. 

Elsa lowered the weapon, now aware of its power. "This caused the storm?" 

Ariel nodded. "When I went to the surface and used it, lightning and wind started shooting out. I couldn't control it. I'm sorry, I should have had someone there to help me." 

Elsa flexed her fingers on the trident's shaft. "Strangely enough, I understand having a power you can't control." 

"You created that iceberg, didn't you," Ariel said. "Where does your power come from? Is there a tool or a necklace you use?" 

"I was born with it. But I've gained control over it now. Well, mostly. But this..." She held up the trident. "You shouldn't be wielding something so dangerous if you can't handle it." 

"Believe me, I never wanted to hurt anyone. If I could go back and fix it, I would." 

A sharp, crackling screech sounded behind them, among the other bird calls. Elsa looked behind her. 

Seabirds galumphed along the shore. They trotted and hopped along the rocks. Each stared at them from their perches with empty doll's eyes. 

"Um, does that look like more birds than usual to you?" Elsa asked. 

Ariel lifted her head. "What are they all doing?" 

The birds lifted off as one, amassing into a furious cloud of feathers and beaks. It squealed like a dying hog. 

Elsa shielded her eyes with her free hand as their beaks sliced her arms. Looking away, she fired trails misty snow against the flock. The horde penetrated the cloudy ice, pelting her with claws and shrieks. 

With her free hand, Elsa swatted with the trident. It whacked one or two light bodies out of the sky, but the mass continued its assault. 

"Help!" Ariel cried. Several birds landed next to her body, pecking at her hands and stomach and tail. Pinpricks of blood dotted her smooth flesh. "Help me, please!" 

Elsa thrust her hand out. The ice shackles disappeared in puffs of frost. Ariel crawled on her belly to Elsa. "Let me try." She held up her hands to take the trident. 

Elsa hesitated at giving a possible enemy her weapon back, but relented. 

An unearthly thrum emitted from the weapon. Ariel aimed and lightning shot into the mob of seabirds. They fluttered out of the way. Maybe one or two got hit, but a dozen more replaced them. 

"They sure are organized," Ariel yelled. 

"They're defending their territory," Elsa yelled. "We're the invaders." 

Ariel shot one of the gulls out of the sky. It plopped in the water as another bird scratched its claw across her wrist. Ariel screeched. 

"If we don't escape, we're going to become bird food," Elsa said. 

Ariel pointed past the inlet of rocks. "Can you make another platform?" she shouted. 

Elsa redirected her powers to the ocean space. A flat ice floe formed, bobbing in the waves. 

Ariel side-rolled into the water. For a brief moment, Elsa thought she was escaping. Then she popped up behind the iceberg. "Get on!" 

Elsa ran across the water. A silvering plate formed under each foot, cantilevering forward, making a cold safe bridge. 

The birds swarmed in the air, streaming in different directions like a chaotic tornado. Gradually, when the mass reached critical size, it moved toward them. 

"Kneel down," Ariel said. "This is going to go fast." 

Elsa set to her knees as Ariel grunted, heaving the ice floe forward. Her fluke scattered spray as it beat against the ocean. Once Elsa realized what she was doing, she molded the ice to be more hydrodynamic, adding a raised lip to front and a keep to the bottom. Soon they reached enough speed to leave a wake behind. But so were the birds. 

"Head towards that bay," Elsa pointed. She hoped the presence of the townspeople would scare off the birds. If not, they could hide under a roof. 

Ariel kept her head down, thinking of nothing but pumping her tail as fast as she could. The demon cries of the birds pushed through her fatigue. 

Elsa peered into the distance. There was something in the water. A dock running parallel to shoreline. The tide had risen high enough to cover it with a patina of water. 

"Ariel!" Elsa shouted. But she couldn't hear over the rush. They couldn't stop, couldn't turn in time. Elsa thrust her hands out and created a ramp of ice. They slid up the ramp and launched into the air. 

Ariel's eyes grew wide, but she clung on as they both flew as high as the birds pursuing them. Fright rendered her catatonic. 

The ice floe fell from underneath Elsa. They were about to crash into the shore. Elsa grabbed Ariel's hand and aimed her hand at the beach 

A mound of snow sprang up on the gray sand where they were about to make impact. They landed with a soft WHUFF. Flakes spurted up like fireworks, as if celebrating a safe landing. 

Elsa landed on her butt. Ariel speared the snow halfway through, leaving her fish tail stuck out flapping. Elsa reached in and grabbed her arms. 

"Whoa..." she said, taking a breath. "That was fun." 

Elsa bemusedly thought of a certain sister who would have said the same thing. The birds had stopped where they had launched and were dispersing into the sky. Elsa let out a cleansing breath. 

Ariel lay back in the snow and sighed. "I'll have to tell Scuttle about that one."


	7. Moment in the Sun

"Kristoff's here! Kristoff's here!"

Anna ran across the town square toward a stocky man in thick winter gear. By some miracle, she didn't slip on the ice surrounding the town fountain, until she was a few feet from Kristoff. Then her heels gave out and she careened past him. But Kristoff whipped around, grabbed her, and pulled her back. In the embrace, they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Whoa, watch out there," Kristoff said.

"I knew you'd catch me." Anna gave him a quick peck. "We need spiky boots like yours. All this penguin walking is making my knees stiff."

"They're called crampons. They attach to the boot, like snowshoes."

"Oh, snowshoes. That's a good idea too."

"What happened to Arendelle? Everything's covered in ice. Normally, I'd say it's a dream, but it makes my job less in-demand?"

"I know. It's this whole big thing with a storm and Elsa and magic and pyramite."

"I can see that." Kristoff tapped at the road with his boot. "This stuff isn't melting? Is it magic?"

"Probably," Anna said. "We tried asking around to see if anyone saw anything unusual, but nope. Now we're just finding people who need help. Seeing who needs stores of food, firewood, blankets."

"Good thing I rushed down here as soon as I got that message."

"I know. But now... you have to leave again."

"What?" Kristoff's jaw dropped. "But I just got here."

"Yeah. And we sorta kinda need you to go back and get your men so you can chip it all away."

"Chip it?" Kristoff took off his hat and rubbed his nappy blond hair. "Are you kidding? The entire city?"

"It isn't melting. But everyone's been walking around like ducks. Elsa's off doing her own thing. We NEED you. Please, please, please."

"All right, all right. Don't I get to even see you at all?"

"Umm..." Anna bit her lip and glanced at Rapunzel.

She stepped forward. "We're all trying to find why this happened as fast as we can."

"Who's this?" Kristoff asked.

Rapunzel had been watching from the town square, holding a bundle of sticks. Letting them have their moment produced her first twinge for Flynn since arriving.

"I'm Princess Rapunzel. Anna's cousin."

Kristoff lightly kissed the top of her hand. His eyes widened once he caught sight of the giant braid hanging down her back. "Wow... how did you get so much hair?"

"Kristoff!" Anna hit him in the shoulder. "You can't just ask people about their hair."

"Okay, sorry."

"He's a little rough around the edges," Anna said in a stage-whisper. "There's a song about it if you want to hear."

"So!" Kristoff interrupted. "I'll get my men and we'll chip the ice away. Where should we start?"

"The most important part is the roads. Then the windows. And see if you can unstick the wheels of the carts. And make sure the doors are all fine. And... you know, just wherever you see it. You know ice, you know what to do with it."

"We have to go. There's a coach waiting for us to take us to some farms outside Arendelle," Rapunzel said.

"They got hit the hardest. Especially considering last year." Anna patted him on the arm. "Watch out for tree branches. The ice is hanging off them. Say hi to Sven for me. Later!"

Kristoff watched them go, scratching his head. Rapunzel smiled and shrugged, then followed. Pascal poked his head out to check him out. He gave a purr of approval as Kristoff startled.

"So that's Kristoff," Rapunzel said after she caught up.

"Yeah, he's cute, isn't he? In an 'everyday kinda guy' sort of way. Bit of a fixer-upper."

"You should talk. My husband used to be a wanted thief."

Anna whipped around. "Really? Do tell."

"Well, it's kind of a funny story. When he stole the princess's crown-"

"You mean your crown?"

"Yes... well, that's another long story. You know how I was missing for a long time."

"Right. Kidnapped by an old woman who wanted you as her child. But that's pretty much all I knew. I was just so glad when I heard you escaped. Why? Is there more?"

"Well, yeah. You see-"

An old man with a white mustache leaned out of a window in a building along a side-street. He waved to the girls. "Princess Anna! Princess Anna!"

Anna tilted her head. "That's the courthouse. What do they want?" They approached him.

"We need your help desperately. There's a case on trial, and none of us know what to do. We need you to render judgment," the man said.

"Me? Why?"

"It's the law that the royal family's rule is the highest. You're the queen regent right now. You can overrule any, no one can say it's unfair. So if you make a decision, everyone would have to accept it."

"We're a little busy right now helping out homesteads that are suffering from the ice storm," Rapunzel said.

"Please. This case has been going on for weeks. Everyone's in an impossible situation. It's, uh... it's a bit of an unusual one."

"Unusual how?" Anna asked.

Someone within the courthouse snarled.

"I think you'd better come in and see," the bailiff said.

Rapunzel and Anna followed him inside to the courtroom. Anna whispered that that was Judge Ragnvald on the stand, looking miffed. On the witness stand in the center of the room, a chained black bear gnawed on the wooden podium.

"Um, that's a bear," Anna said.

"Yes, he's the defendant."

"He's what?" Rapunzel asked.

"You see the problem. And please hurry, before he eats the rest of the courtroom."

Judge Ragnvald waved them forward. "Princess Anna, please come in. Or should I say, Queen Regent Anna."

"Princess is fine. This is my cousin Rapunzel. She's tagging along."

"Any member of the royal court is welcome here. Especially now," the judge said.

"What's going on?" Rapunzel asked.

"The prosecution--Josef there--is a beekeeper. He's accusing this bear of knocking over his hive, and wants him to pay reparations."

"You're kidding," Anna said.

"He captured the bear and brought him in. There's nothing that prevents animals from being held accountable for their actions within the eyes of the law. The problem is the bear's attorney." He gestured to the man at the defendant's post, who had a few scratches on his face.

"The bear has an attorney?" Anna asked.

Judge Ragnvald nodded. "If the accused party does not select an attorney, one will be appointed by the government. He's defending him as a citizen not in control of his actions."

"Are we sure this is the right bear?" Rapunzel asked.

Ragnvald nodded. "Honey underneath his claws. Fur from Josef's tree trunks matching. The prosecution made that right out."

Anna scrutinized the prosecuting party. "I think Josef's been stung a few too many times."

"Or too much mead. He's been in that prosecutor's chair more times than I like to see. He just wants revenge, but I can't throw the case out. He's followed the law to the letter. Any thoughts?"

Rapunzel asked. "What would you do if the bear was a human?"

"The defense is claiming that the signage was insufficient, but that's a weak argument. If it were a person, I'd find for the plaintiff. But the bear can't pay. What would we do? Lock it up in debtor's prison?" Ragnvald looked to Anna.

Anna opened and closed her mouth like a codfish. "I- I don't have a clue."

"Anna..." Rapunzel whispered in her ear.

Her eyes lit as she listened. "Yeah! I guess that could work."

"What?" Ragnvald's face glowed with hope.

"How much is Josef asking for?" Anna asked.

"Three hundred kroner."

"The royal treasury would like to give a gift of three hundred kroner to the defending bear, in return for his patience during this time," Anna said, sounding as regal as she could.

"You're going to pay the recompense? Doesn't that set a dangerous precedent?" Ragnvald asked. "Farmers would be coming in and suing their cows for not giving enough milk."

"We'll fix the law later," Rapunzel said. "But as it stands, he's in the right. Just exploiting a way to get compensation. It's not like governments have never paid out to people who had their property damaged."

Ragnvald sat back and smiled. "Yes... yes, I do believe that will work. Thank you. Thank you so much Princess Anna. And Princess Rapunzel. I'm so sorry to take you away like this. Please, go on about your business."

"Glad to help," Anna saluted. The bear curiously followed them with its eyes, a piece of railing in its mouth. Its look seemed to say "Am I in the clear?"

Rapunzel and Anna picked their bundles back up and reached the coach waiting outside castle town. Attached in back was a trailer full of hay from the royal stable.

"That was smart," Anna said. "I never would have thought of that in a million years. I was like, 'um, er, ah, er, eh, I dunno'."

"Something like that happened to me and Flynn. After I found my parents, he was still a wanted criminal, even if he helped save me."

"Couldn't your mom and dad just pardon him?"

"It would look bad. I mean, he _was_ guilty. They couldn't let him off just because he was associated with me. He took the crown jewels. That's a capital offense. People were saying 'off with his head!' Not the kind of reaction you want for the guy you're trying to marry."

"So what did you do?"

"My mother and father and I and Pascal and everyone, we spent days and nights looking up the rules, trying to find a way we could excuse him without looking bad. Then we finally found a law defining how executions worked. And that once the floor dropped out, he was considered hung. We made sure everyone knew this, made a big display of his hanging, then frayed the rope in the middle."

"Weren't people upset about that?" Anna asked.

"Well, at first. Except he was acting really smug about going up there, hamming it up. So Maximus--that's our Captain of the Guards--he put a little surprise below. When he fell through, he landed on a bunch of chickens 'that had to be relocated'."

Anna suppressed a giggle. "That must have been funny."

"It was. Until the guards lost hold on their dogs. They started chasing them. White feathers were flying everywhere. Flynn ran into a cafe and scared a waitress so bad she dumped coffee on him. And then... well, long story short, after we fished him out of the ocean, we changed the law so we couldn't get away with that again. That satisfied everyone. But I know a lot about laws and regulations now. It'll come in handy when I become queen."

The coach stopped outside a farmhouse. Icicles covered the shingles and eaves. The window shutters hung at an angle, collapsed from the weight.

Rapunzel and Anna tread to the doorstep. An old man answered the door, wiping his eyes. His body was oddly rectangular.

"Oh, Princess Anna. They told me you were coming. It's nice to see a kind face."

"Is there anything we can help you with," Anna asked.

"No, there's no reason to help an old man like me. This farm is done for. All my crops are ruined. Again. And my livestock are starving."

"We can help with that," Anna said. "We brought some fresh hay. There's a whole cart of it behind us."

"Oh, it doesn't matter. There's no point. This farm is cursed. Or I'm cursed. Whole lot of cursing going on. Before the ice storm even hit, two of our cattle came down with fog fever. Last year, I thought there'd be hope for us if I brought in livestock. But no, it seems my lot in life to suffer."

"What's fog fever?" Rapunzel asked.

"Ayyy, don't talk to me about fog fever. It rolls down from the mountain with the evil spirits. The cows lay in the barn all day, lowing with pity. Their knees are too weak to stand, their milk has dried up. All they do is wait around for the sweet embrace of death to come. Just like me."

Something clicked in Rapunzel's head. "I, um... I need to use the privy. Is there an outhouse or..."

"No!" the farmer shouted. "I wouldn't dream of sending royalty out to a filthy latrine. It's not fit for man nor beast. Why should you have to suffer like the rest of us?"

"Where else am I going to go?" Rapunzel asked.

The farmer paused. "Ah, yes, that's a good point."

"Don't worry. I'm used to small spaces," she smiled and headed around the house. Anna's look said "please don't leave me alone with the depressing guy"

Rapunzel snuck across the field into the livestock barn. The frowzy, musty smell of manure and feed smacked her in the face. Most of the stalls were empty, except for one sleeping pig and a few scrawny chickens. Two cows lay in the back, each on its stomach next to each other.

She cautiously opened the stall door. The cows seemed not to notice her. She never realized how large cows were until she was close. Their hides heaved up and down with heavy, labored breaths, radiating sickly warmth. Glassy eyes stared out into nothing.

"Don't worry, little guys. I'll take care of everything," she said as she unwound her hair from the back. Two long plaits spiraled out. She wrapped them around each cow's forehead. They looked at her quizzically, but did nothing.

"I heard cows give more milk if you sing to them. Well, I guess you will after this." She cleared her throat and sung her lullaby. With each note, her hair glowed brighter, flowing from the roots to the tips with warm, healing light. The cows mooed with gentle surprise as their fevers drained.

Rapunzel sat back with satisfaction. She never saw the farmer's boys peeking through the slats of the barn wall.

* * *

"Are you all right?" Elsa asked. She touched the cut on Ariel's cheek.

"Me? Are _you_ all right?" She pointed at Elsa's arm and the nasty gash along the wrist.

"Hey, are you two all right?" A fisherman called out from the distance. He trudged toward them as fast as he could, juggling his equipment as he waddled in hip waders.

"Oh no," Ariel said. She wriggled across the beach and ducked behind a rock.

Elsa waved away the snow and checked if she still had her crown. Somehow, it had managed to stay in her hair through all this. Now she took it out and placed it in a fold of dress. If she passed as a normal citizen, that would avoid a lot of unnecessary questions. Ariel, on the other hand...

Behind the boulder, Ariel looked for anything to hide her tail. It would take too much time to bury herself in the sand. Then she saw a discarded piece of canvas nearby.

The fisherman stood above them on the boardwalk, looking down. "You all need help? I saw something falling."

"Yes, that... that was us," Elsa said. "We fell off the dock. Clumsy."

"Anyone hurt? Looks like yer bleeding."

"I... no, this is nothing. I'm fine, just a scrape."

"Weren't there two of you? Where's the other one?" the fisherman asked.

"Oh, she..."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ariel was rolling herself up in the tarp.

"She's injured. She... she broke her legs, we think."

Ariel saw her cue and wriggled out from the rock. "Hello," she said cheerily. Then remembered she was supposed to have two broken legs. "Ow, ooh."

"You all sure took a tumble, eh?" The fisherman scrambled to get down the timber erosion wall separating the city from the beach. "I'll help you right off. You don't look like you're around these parts."

"We're not," Ariel said. She winced as she pulled herself up closer.

The fisherman started for her. "I know a thing or two about broken legs. You gotta make sure to set it right, or it won't heal." He reached under the tarp.

"No!" Ariel said, shirking away. "I... I'm naked under here. I had to rip my dress apart to bandage up my legs. It's very gross. You shouldn't look."

"Oh. Sorry, ma'am." He took off his orange cap in apology. "I didn't mean to peek a gander at your unmentionables."

"That's all right. We were looking for an inn to stay at. Can you help us?" Ariel asked.

"Sure can. We shouldn't stay too long around here. It's a little close to Dame Naidra."

"Dame Naidra?" Elsa asked. "Who's that?"

"She's a local hermit. Lives in a cave by the shoreline. I ain't never seen her, but there's rumors she's a witch of some kind." He suddenly looked shocked. "That's not what happened to you all, was it?"

"No, we were exploring the dock and it was just an accident. They should put warning signs on the ocean," Elsa said.

The fisherman swept his arm. "Say no more. Same thing's happened to me and worse." He held up his foot and pointed to the bottom of his boot. "I got this scar from one of those spiny ball fishes."

"An urchin?" Ariel asked.

"No, on my foot."

Ariel blinked. Had she just been outsmarted?

"Here, let me carry you," the fisherman said.

"No, no. That's all right," Ariel said, shirking away again. The fisherman looked confused.

Elsa interrupted. "If you could find, maybe, a wheelbarrow or something to carry her, I could take her into town."

"A wheelbarrow? Sure thing." He climbed back up the wall, even though he could have taken the stairs just a few yards away. A few times he lost his grip and had to scramble his big feet.

"He seems nice," Ariel said. "Goofy, but nice."

The wheelbarrow came from a pile of equipment next to the marina. It smelled like dead fish, which, ironically, worked to their advantage. The scent provided a convenient mask for Ariel's lower half. With the trident wrapped inside the tarp, Elsa wheeled her down the street.

"That there's the fish house. And that there's another one, they make some good lobster traps here. And that big ol' one's the flenser, where they butcher up the whales. Popular place. Well, not for the whales."

Elsa glanced at the townspeople. "Maybe cover up a little more," she whispered to Ariel.

Ariel shifted her tarp up above her bra line, wincing as the rough canvas rubbed against her tail.

"How are you doing?" Elsa asked.

"I'm okay," she said. In truth, it felt like her skin was ripping off her bones. The layer of mucus on her tail had long since evaporated. Just a quick dip would be enough to replenish her.

"Everything will be all right as soon as we get to the inn," Elsa said.

"I hope so." Ariel took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the sights.

The commercial sector bloomed, compared to her town. So many products she didn't see any more--shoe polish, margarine, sculptures. Dress shops displayed fine garments made out of baleen-like corsets and parasols. And of course, various oils, soaps, and perfumes. As the sun set, the lamplighters were plying their trade to the whale oil streetlights at every corner. And those were just the whaling products. A small fraction compared to the fisheries--cleaning, hooks, netting, and markets. Plus the buildings that supplemented a flourishing trade, like inns, taverns, and clothiers.

And moreover, the people were happy and well-off. There were more manors on the surrounding hills than her entire kingdom. All because of fishing. If someone took that away, this place would dry up like a desert.

"Well, here you go. The Octopus Arms. They got real good chowder, and the beds got hardly any mites at all. They don't like the salt."

"Thank you," Elsa said. "We owe you a great debt."

"T'weren't nothing, ma'am. You take care of yourselves now." He turned around, almost whipping Elsa in the face with his fishing pole, and left singing. "Oh, the world owes me a livin'..."

Elsa and Ariel looked at the entrance and sighed. "How do you want to do this?" Elsa asked. "I think carrying you would look suspicious. Do you think you could act like you're leaning on my shoulder?"

Ariel shook her head. "No way I could support my weight. Oh, this is so frustrating."

"Maybe there's a back entrance." Elsa wheeled Ariel around to a tight alley, too shadowed for on-lookers to peek through. "This is good." She set the wheelbarrow down next to the door. "You stay here. I'll get us a room and come back for you."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Elsa walked back to the front. The Octopus Arms had all the marks of a surly pub. Its air smelled of dry salt and rubber. Tables full of fishermen toasted themselves to the day's catch, happy and fat. Elsa approached the innkeeper's desk.

"Do you have any rooms available?" she asked.

A fat man with shaggy auburn hair cleaned out a glass mug with a dirty rag. "Sure. Room three's available." He bent under the counter and dropped a key.

"I'll also need a hot meal... two hot meals... delivered to the room. Two bowls of chowder, I suppose."

"Whoa, lady," the man said. "I don't know what kind of place you think this is, but if you want food, you'll be eating it down here. We aren't no servant palace."

Elsa pulled out a single gold sovereign. She always kept it in case of emergencies. Her only hope was that he didn't look too closely at the face on the coin.

"I mean," the barman corrected, "welcome to the Octopus Arms, where service is our middle name. Or such. Anything I can get is yours."

"Just the food, please. To our room. And please knock, we like our privacy," Elsa said.

"Oh, gotcha." He winked.

"Do the rooms have tubs? Washtubs?"

"Er, no... But barrels! We got barrels."

Elsa supposed that would have to do. "If you could deliver a barrel full of salt water to our room, I'd be much obliged."

"Salt water?"

"From the ocean is fine. In fact, it's even better if it's from the ocean."

"What do-"

"Privacy, remember?" Elsa winked as she picked up the key.

"Certainly, ma'am." The barman saluted. "I'll get on that right away."

Elsa tried to ignore the eyes gazing at her. She was, pardon the pun, a fish out of water.

Ariel cranked her head toward Elsa's speedy footsteps as she came around back. "No one saw me."

"Good," Elsa said. "I think if you cling to my back we can get in quickly."

Elsa bent down as if playing leapfrog. Ariel heaved upright and wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck.

"Oh, this isn't so bad," Elsa said. "Don't think I'd want to do this all the way back to Arendelle, but..."

"I'll try to think light thoughts," Ariel said.

The back hallway allowed them up the stairs without appearing in anyone's view. Elsa clasped her hands behind her back, providing a seat for Ariel's rump, and started climbing.

They managed to escape notice and entered room three. Elsa dumped Ariel on the bed and collapsed. "Ugh. I don't think I can do that again," she said as she arched her back.

"I'm sorry," Ariel said.

"It's not your fault."

Ariel wrung her hands. "If that fisherman hadn't shown up, I could have slipped back into the ocean. And then he insisted on escorting us."

"This town's too crowded just to take you back to shore," Elsa finished. She looked in a mirror and cleaned off the remainder of blood and dirt with her fingers. "What would you do when you return?"

"I... I'm not sure. I need to find a way to turn back human. Either with the trident or..." She shrugged.

Elsa stopped. "You said you turned back into a mermaid a day ago. In the evening? My kingdom fell under a snowstorm at about the same time. I wonder if the two are connected..."

"We're both royalty. We both have magic powers. That's another coincidence," Ariel said.

A knock at the door. "Madam, I have your meals here. The house special. Made with mussels, crab, and three kinds of boiled fish."

Elsa opened the door. The man darted his head around to see a red-headed girl wrapped in white canvas on the bed.

"Thank you" she said as she put the bowls on the nearby vanity.

"And I'll be right back with the barrel. Just got to go down to the shore and fill it up."

"Do hurry," Elsa called after him.

Ariel gingerly picked up a corner of the tarp, to look at her tail. But the sheet felt like parchment ripping off her scales.

Elsa handed her one of the bowls. She sat on the vanity stool and scooped a chunky spoonful into her mouth. "So... mermaids don't lure sailors to their deaths. Or try to kill them or anything."

"Nope."

"Can you make men fall in love with you?"

"No. That's silly."

"Where do... where do mermaids even come from? Were you... I mean, were you fish who grew the parts of men, or men who adopted the parts of fish?"

"I don't know. No one knows, I guess."

"Do you grant wishes?" Elsa asked.

"No!" Ariel said. "Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"An old folk tale," Elsa shrugged. "I've never met a mermaid before."

"We're really not so different," Ariel said. "We're not gods. There are some who study black magic and sorcery, but we don't have any powers. We don't eat people. We have our three meals a day, except we eat from shells instead of dishes."

"There must be something magical if you can breathe air _and_ water without gills."

Ariel let the thick, rich soup slop out of her spoon. She was sorely hungry, but this was fish. Could this have been someone she knew?

"Can you talk to fish?" Elsa asked.

"Yes," Ariel said. "That's something people can't do, I suppose."

"What do they say? What do fish talk about?"

"I don't know... the same thing people talk about: our jobs, what to do, how the day's going. They swim around and eat and that's about it. I guess that was part of the reason I was always looking for adventure."

"So they're not very smart then?"

Ariel started to correct her, but then remembered the characters under the sea. From the gossipy oysters to the vain puffer fish. Every citizen of Atlantica was skittish and ignorant, preferring to stay in their hovels than explore beyond the kingdom's borders. And in schools, they were worse--swimming into into certain doom because everyone was following each other.

"I guess not..."

She slid the fish parts of the chowder to the back of the bowl and scooped the carrots and potatoes into her mouth. Even that, the tang of fish innards tainted each bite. It made her feel like a vampire, sucking nutrients from the life of another.

Elsa lifted her hand, palm up. A small jet of frost erupted and settled onto her steaming soup.

"What about you? Where do your powers come from?"

"I was born with this. And no one knows how or why it happened. That might be part of the reason I can't always control it so well. Especially if I get too emotional. Gloves help prevent it, but not always."

"Are there any other people with ice powers?"

"Not as far as I know."

The two kept talking until their eyes grew heavy. Elsa told the origin of her powers, the story of her coronation, and the disaster that erupted thereafter. Ariel's story took much longer. She talked about her first sixteen years under the sea, with frequent side-stories about riding sea horses, the aquabatic games, or the time the kingdom went into a military panic over a boot.

At some point, the innkeeper brought the barrel full of salt water. Elsa convinced him not to come in, though he repeatedly mentioned how heavy the barrel was. She wobbled it into the room, sloshing the topskim on the floor. But there was still plenty to give Ariel bountiful relief when she settled in.

"Is it too cramped?" Elsa asked.

"It's just fine," Ariel said. She wriggled within the barrel. Her tail was flexible enough to sleep like this. Maybe not soundly, but enough.

"I promise, I'll do everything to help you get back to being human." Elsa returned to the human bed.

"Thank you," Ariel said.

Soft night drifted into the room, filling their heads with fog. With the ambience of talking, laughing, and drinking down below, the two women drifted off to sleep.

Elsa's sleep was too deep for dreams. A cold void surrounded her body, then collapsed, like a haunted chamber.

So when Elsa heard a voice, she couldn't tell if it came from her own head, or the room. The night was so dark, she couldn't even tell if her eyes were open.

"Cor... It's true."

"Like fish in a barrel. Heh, literally."

"Quit talking," the first voice whispered.

A scuffle. A grinding noise as wood scraped against wood. Handfuls of water splashed on the floor.

"Hup-"

That was Ariel's voice, suddenly silenced.

"Don't you scream or I'll gut you. Like a fish, heh."

A pause.

Now Elsa knew this was no dream, but she dare not stir. How many people were in the room? What weapons did they have? Was someone standing over her bed right now? If she got up, would they see? How fast would they knock her out?

"Window or door?"

"Door. Whole place is asleep."

"Els-" Ariel again.

"Keep quiet. A dead mermaid's just as good as a live one."

"There's a barrel lid here."

"Good. Put it on. Nice and tight."

A quick slamming of wood. Elsa remained stock still. She dare not open her eyes, lest one was standing over her, holding up a knife. Maybe she could coat the floor in ice to slip them up. But even on the slim chance it worked, they'd jump up and slam a knife into her back.

Suddenly, all her queenly confidence, her title and armies and powers, meant nothing in a room that wasn't hers, in the middle of the night, with two burglars nearby.

"S'heavy," one said.

"Just imagine it's a big barrel of whiskey. Like the kind we'll be swimming in 'fore long."

The door opened, then footsteps. The door shut.

She was all alone now. And her promise to Ariel hung in the air. She was letting her ward out of her sight. But what if a third someone was here? Her fear was too strong to let her move.

No, if she started letting fear consume her, her powers would take control. Maybe she could run after them, trap them in ice. But what if one of them escaped and attacked her? What if someone started shouting about sorcery and black magic. She couldn't have another town turn on her. But otherwise, she was just a little girl. If there was another way...

Her hand brushed against something in bed with her. The trident.

Yes! That could work. But she couldn't use it like Ariel did. She didn't know how and this was not the time to figure it out. Even if she did, she could accidentally blast a house or create a monsoon. On the other hand, without magic, it was still a weapon.

Elsa unraveled it from the tarp. In the dark, dingy room, its gold still gleamed. She picked it up and stole out the door.

The back entrance, the same they had taken into the inn, lay wide open. Elsa snuck out and saw shadows moving down the shore. Two figures walked away from the village with a barrel hoisted between their shoulders. Elsa treaded lightly across the sand, her small feet and light frame keeping her footsteps silent.

The thin one paused. "Mikkel, we're not really going to kill her, are we? Cause I think a live mermaid's got to be worth more."

"Course it is. But either way, Naidra will pay sacks for her," Mikkel, the big one, said.

Naidra. Elsa had heard that name before. Something to do with black magic or superstition.

"We're not going to take her to a scientist or physicker? Someone like that?"

"Torger, all I care about is who can pay the most."

"Then maybe we can sell her to a viceroy or aristocrat. Someone who's got money."

"Feh," Mikkel said. "Why sell her to someone to make more money than us? A beldam like Naidra can create gold from mid-air, I bet."

"She can create gold, but can't cure her blindness and deafness?"

"She's blind because she saw the devil himself. And her ears were nipped off by the harpy king. There ain't no cure for things like that. Except maybe a mermaid. Rare beast like this, bet you could make all kinds of things."

"How did you figure out she was a mermaid?" Torger, the thin one asked. "I thought they weren't supposed to exist."

"Because I'm not stupid. Look at this girl. Thin as a rail, walking through town wrapped up like a fish. Then the innkeeper said she wanted a barrel of salt water delivered to the room. I'm not an idiot. Next time she'll know to be less obvious when she takes a stroll through town." Mikkel laughed.

Elsa was close enough to ice their feet or freeze them in place, but it was too much of a risk. Better to use the trident. She couldn't stick them like pigs. The vision of blood drawing out made her ill. She couldn't bring herself to do that.

But it could work as a bludgeon.

Elsa hoisted it over her head with two hands like a sword and swung. The trident clanged as the blunt corner crashed into his skull. Torger dropped the barrel and stumbled forward. Ocean water poured onto the sand and Ariel with it.

Elsa reared back, trident over her shoulder like a bat, and smacked the big one in the face. He fell onto the sand. Elsa reared back to whack him in the back.

Mikkel grabbed the trident from behind her. The two tugged back and forth.

"Torger, get her legs," Mikkel commanded.

Elsa yanked. Not only was he stronger, he had more torque on the forked end. The handle started slipping from her stinging fingertips.

A small hand reached up and grabbed the middle of the trident. The two of them looked down. Ariel sat below, glowering.

The magical warbling sounded before a golden ray shot out. Mikkel flew back into the rocks where he fell unconscious.

Ariel let Elsa take the trident--she was no good being immobile. Elsa whipped around to the other one. He was scrambling backward on the sand. Elsa swept his legs from beneath him.

He tumbled onto his back. Elsa stabbed her trident down. Torger screamed in surprise. The middle and side prongs pinned his arm into the sand, trapping him.

"What were you doing?" Elsa hissed. "Where were you taking her?"

Torger tried to pry his arm free.

"They were taking me to Dame Naidra," Ariel said.

"Why?" Elsa growled. "Do you know her?"

"No. She's just an old lady."

"What does she want with Ariel?" Elsa asked.

"Nothing! Nothing. We were trying to sell her. We just thought she'd pay big money for her. She's into black magic and all that."

Elsa glanced at Ariel. The mermaid didn't know what to do. But Elsa saw an opportunity.

"You know where she is?" Elsa asked.

Torger nodded.

"You're going to take us to her."

 


	8. Strangled

Arendelle's public library wasn't as nice as Corona's. But Rapunzel didn't expect them to. She had visited whole kingdoms who didn't know what a library was. And some villages that hadn't even seen a book.

Nonetheless, its non-fiction section provided enough for a few hours of research. Like every other investigation thus far, they had accumulated nothing. A page of notes sat in front of them, in-between the towers of volumes. Half of it was possibly useful and the other half was doodles.

Rapunzel wrapped her finger around her hair. Her fantastic braid had unraveled with all the movement she had undergone. Yet she shunned the idea of having the royal hairdresser redo it. Pascal sat on one of the volumes, his bulbous eyes scanning pages at speed.

Anna leaned back in her chair, head up against the ceiling. "Uuuugggghhh, this is so boring. And we're not getting any closer."

"You're right," Rapunzel said. She closed her book and stacked it on the pile, now as tall as her. They were the only ones inside library, giving an eerie feeling of quiet and haunting. In her tower, the one window was always unblocked, so she witnessed every sunrise and sunset.

Above them, the grinding of ice started again. Kristoff's company of men had come back from their break. Inside it sounded like they were obliterating the roof with giant threshing blades.

Rapunzel grabbed an armful of books to take back to the shelves. "Is there another room with archives? Like rare or delicate items?"

Anna covered her eyes with her twin braids. "I dunno."

"What about a rare collection? For delicate items?"

"I have no idea." She yawned. "Maybe this was a bad idea. By the time we get this figured out, Kristoff will have got rid of all the ice."

"It's a big town, it could take a while. Besides, if we don't know what caused it, it could happen again. Remember, we're doing this for Elsa."

"Right, right." At the mention of her sister, she lowered her head and got back to researching.

Rapunzel took the books back to their individual shelves. Her unraveled hair now trailed after her like a blond wedding train. Once finished, she looked for another door, maybe one that would lead to the archives or a private collection. A kingdom as old as this had to have something. And if it wasn't in the castle, it would be here.

She found one unlabeled door against the gray brick walls. No "keep out" signs, so she went in. It looked like a closet, but without light, she couldn't be certain. She entered and riffled through the assorted boxes. Lots of books, but nothing rare. Mostly editions with broken bindings or torn pages.

The door shut behind her. Darkness swallowed her up. Rapunzel didn't panic. Until she turned the knob. It didn't give. She was locked in. The handle would do nothing but jiggle. She pulled on it like a lever. The brittle brass snapped off in her hand.

"Help!" She pounded on the door. "Help, help! Let me out-"

The scraping sounded. That screeching, air-cracking grind. Thunder encompassing on all sides. The booming, quaking. Someone was hammering the walls and roof shut.

Her breathing shortened. Her lungs and chest began to ache, as if being squeezed. She backed away and toppled onto a pile of boxes. When she reached up, all she felt was walls. Walls on all sides.

She screamed as tears came. She screamed and screamed and screamed.

"No, no, no..." she whispered. She repeated it to herself like a mantra. "No, no, no..." Images of Flynn, her mother and father, Pascal. She'd never see them again. Not a single person. Just herself. Trapped in her mind.

The gray brick walls. The single room. Every rafter, every floorboard. A metal collar around her neck, weighing down her neck.

The door opened. "Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel shied away from the bright light spiking her dilated pupils.

"I..." Rapunzel said between gasps. "I got... locked in."

"Your hair got caught in the door." Anna kicked away the blond hair under the door. Rapunzel's body lay draped against the boxes, hands contorted and clutching. Her petite chest heaved up and down, mouth wide to take in air. "Geez, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel swallowed. "I just... for a minute it felt like I was... back... never mind." She wiped the hair from her eyes, moist from sweat. Without another word, she stood straight up and walked out of the closet.

"What did they do to you in that tower?" Anna whispered.

"Nothing. I mean... I just... I don't know. I guess it got overwhelming with the darkness and the noise and the closed space."

Anna looked up and bit her lip. "I think we need a break. Let's go back to the castle," she said as they returned to the table.

Rapunzel picked up Pascal, who had fallen asleep. "I think that's a good idea."

A coach took them back across the fjord to the castle. The rhythmic clomping of the hooves and gentle vibration of the carriage helped calm Rapunzel. Anna told a story about the time a squirrel snuck into her castle.

"So then I started chasing it, thinking I'd show it to Elsa. And it could be our little pet. But then it ran behind the dresser. So I got this little pillow for a bed, and a bowl of sunflower seeds. I made this little collar while I was sitting there and saying 'and we can go see the concerts and you can live on my head and be my hat and when its dinner time you can brush your fuzzy tail against the ladies' legs and make them scream..."

Rapunzel was smiling when they passed through the castle gates and exited the coach.

"So what do you want to do? We have some games in the parlor," Anna said.

"Do you have chess?"

Anna made a face. "I don't like chess. Elsa does though. I'm sure she'd play you when she gets back."

"What about puzzles?"

"Mm, puzzles are boring. You just put together a picture that someone else broke? But there's cards, knucklebones, Fox & Geese, Hazard, if you like gambling."

Rapunzel didn't like any of those games, but she could make allowances for her cousin.

Kai met them at the castle entrance, holding a yellowed envelope. "Princess Anna, this letter just came for you. It says it's urgent, but the address only says 'the ruling monarch of the kingdom of Arendelle'. It may be referring to Queen Elsa. But since you are the current ruling monarch, perhaps you should look at it. You've been gone all day."

"Right. Sorry about that. Kingdom still in one piece, right? Nothing bad happened?"

"Yes, madam. Anything that came up, I took care of it."

Rapunzel detected a hint of resentment in his tone. Resentment that flew over Anna's head. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Her eyebrows squelched.

"It's just a blank piece of paper," Anna said. She showed it.

"Would Elsa understand it?" Rapunzel asked.

"Who knows." She stuffed it back in the envelope and handed it back to Kai. "Put it in Elsa's room. Maybe she can figure it out when she gets back. If it was that urgent, you'd think they would have used words. Come on, Rapunzel." They left Kai behind while Anna led Rapunzel further into the castle.

They played Tric-Trac and other games which excited Anna, but left Rapunzel disinterested. Gambling and games of chance weren't as fun with two people. But it did help get their mind off their failures.

During lulls, Rapunzel plucked out the hairpins and barrettes from her braid. As well done as it was, the royal hairdresser's work had essentially disintegrated.

Near the end of the night, they heard a strange booming outside their door. Like a giant walking down the hall.

"What's that?" Anna asked.

"I don't know. It's your castle."

The door to the parlor burst open. Rapunzel shirked back. A frost-giant stood in the doorway, covered in black fur with flecks of snow. A hand-axe gleamed in its giant ebony paw.

"...carrots," it said.

"Kristoff!" Anna ran up to him and hugged him. "Ooh, you're so cold... and wet."

He pulled the fur down from his face. "Where are the carrots? Sven needs them."

"Aren't there any in the kitchen?"

Kristoff started the process of peeling off his gear--thick coat, hat, gloves, sweater. "I looked. The staff said they'd been moved to help feed the town."

"Ooh, I bet Kai did that. Good man. I'll see if Gerda can help out. Are there any other vegetables Sven likes? Onions? Leeks? Turnips? Rutabagas?"

Kristoff raised an eyebrow as he pried off his last boot. "Are you being generous or just trying to get rid of foods you don't like?"

"You'll never know. On an unrelated note, he can't have any chocolate."

Kristoff chucked his last boot into the pile. Now clad in nothing but long underwear, he stretched his legs. "Oh, that feels good. My fingers feel worn down to nubs."

"Uh, Kristoff..." Anna gestured to Rapunzel behind her. She had remained so still and quiet he didn't know she was there.

"Oh, uh, hi..." Kristoff backed away and covered his sensitive regions with his hands.

Pascal peeked out from Rapunzel's hair. His eyes grew wider. Rapunzel gently shoved him back into her mane.

"Why didn't you stop me?" Kristoff asked.

"Because this was funnier." She patted his shoulder. "I'll be right back." Anna picked up her skirt and went to find Gerda.

Kristoff looked down at the pile, weighing whether or not to put his clothes back on. "Soooo..." he rubbed the back of his head. "How have you been liking it hair- I mean, here?"

Rapunzel stifled a laugh. "It's good. Anna's been showing me everything. It's much different than Corona."

"Yeah, that's kinda funny. Two kingdoms ruled by cousins, but they're so different. Is this your first time in Hairendelle- I mean, Arendelle."

Now Rapunzel couldn't help but laugh. "I've been here before once, for Elsa's coronation."

"I don't remember meeting you."

"I had a different look at the time. But so much was happening, I'm not surprised. The funny thing is, you know what I remember most? I couldn't go barefoot at all."

"Anna loves going barefoot too. Must run in the family."

Rapunzel looked down at her toes. "Yeah. It took everyone in the castle a while to get used to me walking around without shoes."

Anna came back at that moment and jumped on Kristoff's back. "Saves on socks!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into his shoulder.

"You couldn't do that where I grew up. You'd end up with broken toes," Kristoff said.

"Your family must have heavy feet," Rapunzel said.

"You don't know the half of it," Kristoff said.

"Your family... Of course." Anna turned toward him. "They might have an idea of what's going on. We need to go see them."

"I don't think they'd know much more than us," Kristoff said. "But it's worth a shot. Wait, you don't mean now?"

Anna raised her eyebrows roguishly. She grabbed Rapunzel's hand and dragged her out of the parlor. From the hallway she said, "Go get Sven ready. Hitch up the sled. We'll get dressed."

Kristoff looked down at his clothes and said, "Does this mean I have to put all this back on?"

* * *

Maybe because they were tired, night seemed to never end on this island. Puffy sick clouds crossed the moon, dimming and brightening the water. Torger heaved back and forth, rowing the two of them to the opposite side of the island. Craggy cliffs and moors made most of the coastline unusable, making it a perfect location for a hermit.

Elsa sat across from him, staring.

"How much further?"

"Have a heart, lass. It's the middle of the night, I didn't have a good dinner. Look at my arms. Skin and bones," Torger said between breaths.

"Keep rowing." Elsa flexed her bare fingers on the trident. She had to hide her smile when Torger's eyes went wide. "Ariel?"

"Still here. Coast is clear," Ariel said from behind the boat. She kept one hand on the aft edge, offering a gentle push when she wasn't keeping an eye out.

Torger grumbled to himself. "Hope you choke on whatever she gives you for her."

"I'm not 'selling' the mermaid," Elsa said. "She's my friend. You're taking us to Naidra for answers."

"She'll pluck out your eyes just as soon as part with any spell, I guarantee. And you best address her by title if you aim to keep your tongue too."

"Have you ever seen her before?" Elsa asked.

"Not once. And the sun will grow cold before I do. When I was a boy, me and the lads dared each other into the cave. Stig went the furthest, but then we heard a scream. He had the coughing fits for three days. Doctor said it was mountain flu, but we all knew it was the witch. I felt the rancid mist of the spell."

Elsa didn't lend much credence to this. Rumors and reputation could provide a convenient smokescreen for people who wanted to be left alone.

When they saw the entrance, they knew only a witch could live there. Ocean water flowed into a stony cave entrance. Onyx stalactites surrounded the ceiling and water's surface, like a dragon's mouth. The only way in was by boat.

"Take us inside," Elsa said.

"I'm not going in there," Torger said, shaking his head.

"Do it." She tightened her grip on the trident.

Torger rowed as if afraid of the cave's jaws shutting on him. Inside, a narrow stone walkway led along one edge of the cave wall.

Elsa, never letting go of the trident, placed one foot on the stern, peering as far as she could. Darkness placed a pitch black curtain at a certain point within, separating outside light from whatever was inside.

Torger dropped an oar and pushed her forward. Elsa and landed head first in the water.

"Elsa!" Ariel dove toward her. Elsa thrashed. Pockets of incarnate chill popped around her as Ariel pushed her to the surface. She rolled Elsa onto the walkway adjacent to the cave wall.

Elsa hacked up water in a sticky puddle under her chin. Ariel clutched the trident she'd recovered.

"I'm all right," she coughed out. "Where's Torger?" She wiped the wet hair from her eyes and stood.

The dinghy floated beyond the cave entrance, with Torger rowing as fast as he could.

"You said you'd let me go if I took you here. Didn't say nothing 'bout taking you back," he shouted.

"That dirty sea slug," Ariel said. She held the point of the trident forward and fiercely. The enchanted hum sounded. But instead of lightning, a tall upsurge of water undulated out toward the ocean. It swelled into Torger's boat, carrying him further out to sea.

"I didn't mean to do that," Ariel said. "I can still get him."

"No," Elsa said. "There's no point. We can get back ourselves. Besides, his arms will fall off by the time he's back at shore."

Ariel swam beside Elsa, head above water like a sea lion, moving further in. The two of them walked slow, in case of traps or witchy curses.

"You know, if I could make a wave like that, maybe I can make more than lightning. I just wish I knew how. I never thought I'd have to use this thing. My six older sisters would have become queen before me. And I never had any interest in ruling the kingdom anyway."

"Maybe it's not your lineage or anything that's the problem. Maybe it's something else," Elsa said.

"Like what?"

"Well, when I was little, I thought keeping my power suppressed was the way to control it. But every time I got too afraid or upset, it came out. I was so afraid of hurting anyone, I shut myself away from the world, suppressed my emotions. But when I went away from everyone and could use my power, I made wondrous things."

Ariel twirled the tines before her. "The first time I used it, I don't think I was upset. I was focused. I was calm."

"For me, the answer was love. Love of my family, love of the fun and joy winter brings. Without it, all I could do was make ice. I couldn't take it back."

"I have that. I have love from my husband. My friends. It feels like I have what you were missing, and missing what you always had. When you want to use it, what do you do?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it. Willpower? Focus? It's so natural I don't even think too hard about it."

The conversation dropped as they realized they couldn't see. They looked at each other, questioning whether to go further.

Ariel sighed and swam on. Elsa took cautious steps forward, one hand on the wall, making sure there was ground before taking a step. It smelled of sour candy, old pickles, like the dank corner of an unused kitchen.

Further on, light returned like a gentle blue sunrise, illuminating a curve in the path. Small blue grubs, stuck to the riffled wall, glowed bioluminescently. The waterway ended at a chamber. An old woman sat in a rocking chair in the middle of the room, her back toward them.

It stank of mud and birds' droppings. A large iron cauldron hung from the ceiling, squeaking as it swung from the iron talons. Against the wall stood a large apothecary table--small drawers with scrawled labels arranged in a grid--along with other cabinets, alchemy beakers, candles, and a straw bed.

But the most horrifying things were the shelves. The top had rows of different birds, all alive and twitching, perching restfully. Below and beyond were glass tanks of lizards, frogs, mudskippers, turtles, skinny snakes, and other scaled, slimy animals. Their bulbous, viscous eyes tracked their movement. The covered every inch of wall space as far as they could see.

"So you made it past the veil of darkness..." said a cracked voice. "Not many people do. They see the black abyss before them and run the other way. Me?"

She turned in her chair. Milky white pupils stared at them.

"I don't see anything but!" she cackled.

Purplish skin sagged from her eyes, pocked with liver spots and warts. Long gray bangs sprang from her forehead and earholes.

The old hag chortled like a wheezing fireplace poker. "One of you is smells like ice. That crisp tang of frosted iron. And other's still in the water." She sniffed. "A sea maiden? Well, this is an interesting combination. Frozen fish." She chuckled with high-pitched glee. "But you don't reek of evil. Not yet at least. So come in and know me better."

"Are you Dame Naidra?" Elsa asked.

"Eh? Speak up. I have a hard time hearing these days. As you can tell." She brushed her gray hair past a puckered hole where her ear should have been.

Ariel gasped. A light gray cockatoo with purple wings flew down from the shelf. It perched on the edge of the cauldron. Elsa raised her arm to protect herself.

"Some call me the fabled dame. For now. My identity's as ancient as the wind and untamable as the sea."

"Were your ears really bitten off by a harpy?" Elsa asked.

"I have lost _all_ my senses, child," Naidra said. "I cannot see, nor touch, nor hear, nor taste, nor smell. All lost in the pursuit of erudite lore. A given sacrifice for power over wonder and privilege of spirit." She stood and hobbled to one of the glass tanks. A small yellow snake wrapped around her hands.

"Then how are you hearing us?" Elsa asked.

"These pets as my eyes and ears."

They looked up. On every shelf, each rat, each toad, each raven, was focused on them, watching like a judge's council.

"What they taste, I taste. What they smell, I smell. The price of agelessness is utter dependence. You know how I stay alive? When Death comes, I ask him for the time. When he gives me his pocket watch, I set it back." She erupted in a fit of hysterical cackling laughter.

She approached Elsa and offered her the snake. Elsa held up her hands, palms up in refusal. But that didn't matter--the white serpent wound its way up her bare arm. She tensed, eyes bulging.

"A snake's entire body is a sensing instrument. Heat, vibration, hermetics in the air," Naidra said.

The snake stopped and relaxed, curled around her forearm like morbid jewelry.

She laughed again. "You've had your bravery tested before. So whatever you want must be important."

"It is. Do you know anything about magic?" Elsa asked.

"I am all kinds of magic, child. The natural, the supernatural. Magic of blood and bone. Powers divine and demonic. Arcane and runic. I can pull a soul from a shadow and twist logic into chaos. Say your heart's desire, and it becomes."

"We actually don't want anything," Elsa said.

"Eh?" Naidra said. She looked disappointed.

"Well, except for an explanation. You see..." Elsa did her best to explain what had happened. Ariel's side of the story helped it make sense, but out loud, the coincidences seemed paper thin.

Naidra sniffed deep. "Ah, there it is. The stench of time gone bad. Yes, someone's undone your accomplishments. That's what's happened. More's the pity, isn't it? You worked so hard to shed these hardships." She gestured to Elsa. "You, your bondage to your power." To Ariel, "You, your limitations as a maiden of the sea. Everything you worked so hard for has been undone."

"Is there a way to put it back?" Ariel asked.

"I made a vow never to test mettle against the sands of time. Too much can go wrong. Too much potential to unravel existence itself. But some fools are always trying to swim upstream."

"Someone else did this." Elsa finished. "Is there a way to find who? Or what?"

"My wager, it's a who." She turned her pearl-colored eyes to Ariel. "You, I think I can help. It's too much a misfortune for you to be sea-locked through all this. I could mix something up to help you, little princess."

Ariel whispered to Elsa, "If she tries to take my voice, you know what to do." Elsa nodded.

"Eh? What was that? Speak up child. We mustn't keep secrets between guests. It's rude."

Ariel leaned in. "I said I've dealt with a sea witch or two. So we're prepared for anything."

"Sea witch? No, I'm no enchanter or charmer. Though I've known a few in my time."

Ariel tightened her grip on her trident. "A sea witch tried to cheat me out of my voice so she could take over the kingdom."

"Was her name Ursula?"

Ariel's jaw dropped. "You know her?"

"Know her? I trained her."

Ariel nearly dropped her trident.

"Yes. That surprises you, doesn't it? She apprenticed under me. Learned what I had to teach. A cecaelian, if I recall."

"She was a monster," Ariel said. "My father banished her."

Naidra sniffled. "I'm not surprised. Had more ambition than the seven seas have water. What happened to her afterwards?"

"She sold magic to merpeople who were desperate. Except no one could ever fulfill their end of the bargain, so she captured them in her grotto. Transformed them into polyps. She nearly did it to me. But that was the last contract she ever made."

Naidra nodded. "It would take a strong heart to work around her half-truths and deceits. I knew her young and fierce. Natural talent. Enthused with power. She had a devilish appetite for watching others squirm beneath her. Treating them like dolls or game pieces. Moving them around. It satiated her. Sounds like it undid her as well." She chuckled. "Don't worry, child. I ask no price for this. You have gone through enough."

"How are you going to help?" Ariel asked.

"I know a potion that should alleviate this curse. I can brew it up this night."

"Will it turn me into a human?"

Naidra cackled. "Let me guess. Your sea witch offered you something similar, but its power lasted only three days?"

"That's right," Ariel said with astonishment.

Naidra smirked. "Amateur. Either incompetence or by design. My command over these forces outshines any. Though I admit certain limits can't be overcome. You will be human by daylight. But when the sun sets, its power subsides and your seamaiden form returns."

Ariel shook her head. "Why is it always sunset?"

"You should consider yourself lucky this offer can be made at all. But your question has merit. It is not so much the lack of sun as the presence of moon that makes the difference. The duality of man drives everything man accomplishes. Harness its energy and that's where miracles come from."

"Is there anything for me? Anything that can dissolve ice? Or melt it?" Elsa asked.

"No, little queen. Your problem has no solution I can provide."

"What about pyramite?" Elsa exclaimed. "I was on my way to Corona to see if they had some. I know it wouldn't fix what happened now, but some kind of defense..."

"You seek to nullify your greatest strength?" Naidra laughed to herself. She hobbled to another side of the cavern and pulled something out of a drawer. "You're right, child. There is such a thing. But what do you expect to do? Cover your kingdom in it?" She tossed something at Elsa.

Elsa caught it. It was a metal shard, gleaming dull gray like liquid metal. "This is pyramite?"

"Among the rarest of the rare metals. The entire world's supply could fit into a barrel. Good luck finding it anywhere else. Consider it good fortune the earth contains so little potential to how back yours."

Elsa couldn't help herself. She tried freezing the shard, but nothing happened. The air formed a light coating of frost, but it disappeared. "It's still warm," she said to Ariel, with a strange delight.

"So do you know how this happened in the first place? You said it had something to do with time," Ariel asked.

Dame Naidra took two bottles from a shelf, one blue and one red, and set them by her cauldron. "There's only one devilry I know capable of addling time such has been done. And its master is long dead." She poured the blue liquid in. It vaporized in a puff of violet smoke.

"Who was that?"

"Temeris. A sorcerer who lived when the world was young. In those days, you could deal with dark spirits courteously. They say he played games with death himself. His followers became a cult, claimed he was part god. Maybe they were right. When he died, his followers preserved his flesh, brain, and heart. Put them in canopic jars and kept worshipping him. Called them the 'three faults of Temeris', because they were the trappings of his mortal form."

The red elixir cascaded in. As soon as it hit bottom, a foul smell of mud and egg yolks wafted up. Ariel and Elsa cringed.

"Is Temeris's cult still around?" Ariel asked.

"No. It dwindled into history. A strong leader can keep any group together. But only a great one can make it last beyond death." She wafted the pungent fumes away from the cauldron. "Now, stand back." She raised her wrinkled arms over her head.

_"Venis earth, venis air, venis mare mulier_  
_Take heed to the writ that I call_  
_Summon fire, summon water, take ocean's fair daughter_  
_Muta hominem luna et sol"_  


The cauldron shivered. Naidra dipped in a ladle, bringing out a viscous, pale-purple goop as thick as oatmeal. She spooned it into a square vial and corked it.

"Drink this, and it will be done," Naidra said as she handed it to Ariel.

"Thank you," Ariel said.

"I've given you all I can. And given it without recompense. I suppose you've caught me on a generous day." Naidra grinned, revealing a gummy mouth speckled with black, cancerous marks. "Now, I suggest you leave as fast as you can."

"Wait, we still need more help. Where can we go-" Elsa started.

"It's a full moon tonight. And you don't want to see me when the moon is full."

Ariel asked, "What do you mean? What happens when the moon is full?"

"Is there any way to get rid of the ice if-"

"I said, go. GOOOOO _OOOOO_..."

An shrill banshee scream exploded out of her puckered mouth. The stone reverberating against the sound. Each squirrel and lizard in their cage rattled and shook.

Ariel backflipped and swam away. Elsa picked up her dress and sped back into the tunnel as fast as she could. The old witch's cackles echoed in the cave, leaving them to wonder whether it had all been a joke.

* * *

Anna and Kristoff led Rapunzel through the rough valleys and craggy hills, up into a mountain plateau. Rapunzel had to fight sleep, but the rocky terrain kept her bouncing back and forth, keeping her awake.

"All right, here we are," Kristoff said.

He stopped Sven at a highland. Rounded boulders and moss dotted the flat rock. Rapunzel bounded out of the sled and approached one.

"Wow. Look at these rocks. So smooth and round. It's like someone rolled them here." She knelt and rubbed one of them.

"What?" Kristoff said.

"I had a book on geology in my tower that I read... several times. This was the site of a glacier cold flow, I bet. The glacier quarried them and basal sliding rounded them down and left them here." She draped herself over one. "Mmm... so nice and cool. Is this basalt?"

"Uh... I don't know." Kristoff scratched his head.

"It feels like basalt."

"It's so nice to meet someone who knows their minerals."

The rock popped up, turning into a small dwarf with a bulbous nose and endearing eyes. She did what anyone would in such a situation. She screamed.

"Gnomes!"

"Trolls, actually. Rock trolls. Emphasis on the rock," the troll said. "Kristoff's never appreciated how smooth this granite is. And check out these deposits of quartz." The dwarf turned its backside and pointed to his posterior.

"Yes... they're very nice." Rapunzel crab-crawled away and bumped into another rock.

"Hey, careful, dear. Don't bump your head."

Rapunzel stumbled over her hair. Kristoff and Anna tried to catch her, but weren't in time. She tripped and rolled herself up. Suddenly a group of trolls were standing over her, peering down. Their bodies were covered in moss instead of clothes and they wore necklaces with glowing crystals woven in. Sprigs of grass topped their heads.

"Wow, look at her hair," said a child. "She must be overwatering it."

"Don't step on it, dear. You'll get arrested for tress-passing."

"It's so long. How does she get it that long?"

"I need to trim mine back every four weeks or it starts flowering. Then the pollen gets into my eyes."

"Why is it that color? She must use a honey comb."

"Guys, guys, back up. She's new, okay?" Kristoff pushed himself into the crowd. "Sorry about that. They mean well, but they don't get to see new people too often."

Anna and Kristoff helped Rapunzel up and unweaved her from her self-inflicted prison. "Family?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well, they raised me since I was eight." He addressed the group. "Everyone, this is Anna's cousin, Rapunzel."

One of the trolls waddled up to her--a female judging by the long blades of grass drooping from her head.

"Ooh, this _is_ a good one. Come here darling, let me take a look at you."

"Bulda..." Kristoff warned.

Bulda squeezed Rapunzel's cheeks with her stony palms.

"How... how is this..." Rapunzel stammered. Bulda turned her head this way and that.

"Why, cutie, you don't need no love advice. I can see it in your eyes. You've already got a good man. Bit of a scamp, but who doesn't like a dip of danger every now and then?" She elbowed Rapunzel. It felt like a brick jabbed in her ribs.

"She doesn't _need_ love advice," Kristoff said. "We're here to see Pabbie. Something's happened down in Arendelle."

The trolls wandered around Rapunzel, picking up her hair and examining it. One of the little ones took a lick, made a disgusted face, then said something about how it was "not gold"

Pascal dug his way out and hunkered into a defensive position. He watched the trolls with shifting eyes as he splayed his arms and legs.

A child with a red and white toadstool on his head pointed. "Hey, she's got a mushroom too."

"Could we please stay focused?" Kristoff shouted out. "We have a real problem here."

The trolls hushed. Something was coming through their ranks, making a group of gray heads stand aside. A larger, older troll with thinner grass hair walked toward her. The ruff of green reeds around his neck looked like a lion's mane.

Kristoff let out his breath. "Grand Pabbie, you're here."

"There is trouble, isn't there?" he said in a raspy voice.

Anna knelt before him. "Arendelle's been hit by a terrible ice storm, like last year. Only it's not Elsa. We don't know what to do or what caused it."

"I don't mean the kingdom. I mean her." He pointed at Rapunzel.

She looked around, as if he was referring to something behind her.

He waddled forward. "I can sense the magic. Magic that's not supposed to be there. It's powerful."

"It was supposed to be gone forever, but it came back. Stronger than before," Rapunzel said.

"Like the ice storm," Pabbie replied.

Anna and Kristoff looked at each other. "So the ice storm and Rapunzel's hair have something to do with each other?"

Pabbie picked up a stream of hair and held it up to his eye, rubbed it between his fingers. "This hair. It gathers no leaves, no insects, no dirt. Stronger than diamond. This is the root of your magic."

"When my mother was giving birth to me, there were... problems. So everyone searched for a magical golden flower that could heal people."

"A drop of sunlight. It fell to Earth and became that flower. Very potent."

"My mother and I would have died if she hadn't gotten that flower," Rapunzel said.

Pabbie raised his hand. "I do not blame you, child. Rest assured, it is not the first of its kind. Ages ago, when I was just a neolith, a similar miracle happened. This time from the winter night. But this had the unfortunate luck to land on a nobleman. We could heal his wound but the magic power still flowed within his blood. And forever cursed his lineage. One day, his descendant would be born with the same power. I believe you know her. She's your cousin." He turned to Anna. "And your sister."

"Elsa?" Anna cringed. "You mean this has all happened before?"

"This, yes," Pabbie said, gesturing to her hair, "But what's happening now? No. It's too illusive for me to read. All I can tell is that it's no accident. There is intent behind this."

"So someone's responsible," Kristoff said. "But who? And what do they want? To take over Arendelle?"

Pabbie sighed. "I doubt whoever conjured this wants your kingdom. This magic is bigger than that. Ancient. Full of peril and deceit. Someone is tapping into the heart of the world. Using power that was hidden many eras before yours. Power that strong would corrupt one's soul to the core. Few would survive such a saturation."

"Then maybe we don't have anything to worry about," Anna said. "Maybe whoever did it is already dead?"

"Perhaps," Pabbie said. "But foolish hope extends little minds."

"What?" Anna said.

"He means we shouldn't stop looking." Kristoff took a deep breath. "Man, I am out of ideas."

"Me too," Anna said. "Rapunzel, what do you think?"

Rapunzel glanced between the two of them. "Um, I guess... we just keep doing what we're doing. Keep clearing the ice as best we can. Keep looking for causes. Maybe Elsa will have a better idea when she gets back." She stood up and shivered. The night had brought the cold mountain air billowing in, and she had underdressed for this hike.

"Let's go back home, get some sleep. I think we've earned it," Kristoff said. He started back down the path with Anna following.

Once they were out of earshot, Pabbie touched his stone-cold hand to Rapunzel's warm arm. "Young one, wait."

"Yes?"

Pabbie gestured for her to bend down. He whispered, "You have a great power within you too. Like your cousin."

Rapunzel nodded.

"But you don't wish to show it."

Rapunzel shook her head.

"You fear it a danger. But yours is a mending magic."

"I know. But it threatened me. It threatened my husband, my family, my friends. I came here to escape that. If word got out..."

"I understand," Pabbie said. "But all secrets unlock in the end. Know that, child."

"I do," she said.

Pabbie let her go. She ran off to rejoin Kristoff and Anna. Around a bend in the rocks, Kristoff was discussing the issue with Anna's arm in the crook of his.

"So, if I understood right, Pabbie thinks that Rapunzel's hair and this ice are connected? But Rapunzel wasn't even here when the storm came. And what does hair have to do with it? And... and... and... I think my brain's broke."

Kristoff unraveled Sven's reins from around the sleigh's front piece. Anna yawned. "I have literally never been so tired. Why didn't Elsa get you a sled with pillows? Whose idea was it to come out here this late?"

"Yours," Kristoff said.

"Oh. Right. I guess I forgot we had to head back."

Anna sat in the middle, between Kristoff and Rapunzel.

"Okay, maybe we should do what we do when approaching a large piece of ice."

"Lick it until it's smaller? Slide it around?" Anna asked.

"Break it down, piece by piece. First 'who'. Who is doing this? What does he want?"

"Or she..." Rapunzel added, thinking of her mother.

Kristoff nodded. "Where can we locate them? When did they do this? How did they do this? Why?"

"Maybe they wanted some ice for their drink and went too far?" Rapunzel asked.

"But we have Elsa for that. And I'm the Royal Ice Master and Deliverer." Kristoff said.

"You're the royal ice master?" Rapunzel asked. "Why? When Elsa can make ice out of thin air?"

Kristoff paused. "Hey, that's a good question. Anna? Why did-" Kristoff ribbed Anna...

...who promptly snored. Her head flopped onto Kristoff's shoulder.

"Dead asleep. She really did have a long day."

They hit a bump and Anna's head lolled onto Rapunzel's lap. Rapunzel nudged her back up, where she flopped back onto Kristoff's chest. A thin line of drool hung off her bottom lip.

"Naw, this is how she sleeps. She's impossible to get up in the morning. Uh, so I'm told. She told me. I don't have firsthand knowledge or anything."

Kristoff let that hang in the air. Then coughed. Rapunzel rolled her eyes and smiled. "What did Pabbie mean about 'power so strong it would corrupt one's soul'?" she said.

"I'm not sure. Once, when I was ten, Grand Pabbie showed me a dead tree. He told me it was the last to shed its leaves for winter, as if it wanted more time to grow. It tried to take water from the cold snow, sun from the dim light, all to be the tallest. Its bark was split and gnarled and bumpy. All kinds of moss and fungus. Its leaves were spotty and blue. Not a pretty sight. All because it tried to take more than it deserved."

"Creepy," Rapunzel said, hugging her knees. Whoever did this was someone that knew about her "gift" Someone willing to exploit it. To the point of extremes to get at it, no matter who got hurt. "I think I know the exact kind of person who would do this."

"You do?"

"Well, not personally. I mean, the person I'm talking about... died. We're looking for someone vain, manipulative, obsessive, elegant..." Her voice drifted off. This was getting too scary. Too many thoughts she didn't want to think about.

"Well, we still got to find a way to fix it," Kristoff said. "The ice isn't melting, but at least we can cart it away. But the clouds haven't moved off. If we don't get some sun, Arendelle's going to be in trouble."

He looked to the west, with the frigid fjord below them. On the wharf, dockworkers had assembled on a single pier in bunches.

"That's odd. Wonder what's going on down there?" Kristoff said.

"Let's check it out," Rapunzel said.

Kristoff whipped the reins. Sven veered down to the shoreline huts and kiosks. Two men wearing dockworker uniforms approached the sled at the entrance to the wharf. Sven skidded to a stop, no easy feat on the icy roads.

"Princess Anna. Princess Anna!"

Anna rolled over. "Na ga ma. Take the bilberries out of my hair..."

Kristoff wiped the drool off his shoulder. "Anna, they look serious."

Anna rubbed her eyes. "What? What's going on?"

"Princess Anna, you'd better come and see this."

The three of them followed the dockworkers down to the water. One man knelt near the end of the dock.

Olaf's head lay in the water, looking up at the sky. The other spheres of his body bobbed near other docks, where workers waited for them to float close enough to catch.

"Oh, hi, Anna. I didn't expect to see you here," he gloated.

"But you're in Arendelle," Anna exclaimed.

"I am? Wow, I'm back already. I don't even remember what Corona was like."

"Olaf, where is the boat?"

"Oh, well, we hit a little snag when we ran into a giant storm and the boat was destroyed."

Anna looked up. Waves carried several rowboats brimming with sailors toward land, along with chunks of wood and debris.

"The boat was destroyed?" Anna swallowed.

"Princess Anna..."

The dock worker held up a dripping piece of wood. On it was the letter "A" from the embossed emblem of the ship. Anna held her hands to her mouth and gasped.


	9. Chosen

Ariel pushed the small ice floe across the coast. Elsa sat cross-legged and cross-armed, like Ali Baba on a magic carpet. Her face remained grim.

The witch's words had given no comfort. She didn't expect to like it, but the vague words and ideas were little better than storybook fables. And they gave no resolution. She glanced back at Ariel, who had a similar grim smile.

Ariel flicked her tail and changed direction to a grassy knoll on a sandbar, allowing privacy.

"Phew." Ariel released the iceberg and shook her hands. "So cold."

"Ice usually is," Elsa said.

Ariel stuck her fingers in her armpits and shivered. "Do you still have the bottle?"

Elsa pulled out the stoppered bottle of red sludge. "You want to drink it now?"

Ariel turned towards the horizon, where the barest kindle of sun lightened the dark sea. "Let's wait until sunrise. I want to make sure it works."

Elsa smoothed her dress and sat on the sand. Ariel pulled up onto the sand next to her.

"So, this Ursula was a bad one?" Elsa asked, making conversation.

Ariel nodded. "I only went to her because I was desperate. I had this grotto where I kept all my human knick-knacks and thingamabobs from sunken ships. One day my father found out about it and destroyed them all." She held up the trident in her hands. "He was so... angry. He said 'So help me, Ariel, I am going to get through to you. And if this is the only way, so be it.'"

Elsa shuddered.

Ariel continued, "He just left me there, crying on a rock. I guess, when I went to her lair, I was trying to get back at him as much as achieve my own dream."

"Go to your father's enemy. Yeah, that would do it." Elsa mused. "My father was protective, but he was right to be. I almost killed my sister with my powers. She was able to get better, but it meant erasing her memory. From then on, he thought it was best just to not ever use my powers. That meant keeping my emotions under control." She heaved a deep sigh. "Conceal, don't feel."

Elsa dug her hand into the wet, cool sand, remembering the gloves she always used to wear. Grains like tiny fingers massaged her skin. With a quick flash, the water within froze. Elsa held up her hand. A craggy chunk of sand coated her upper arm. Ariel giggled.

"Are all kings like that? Stubborn and strict and over-protective? Or is it just fathers?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's both. I'm lucky to have known my father as long as I did. He died when I was eighteen. I know others who don't know their fathers or didn't grow up with them. My cousin didn't even know she had a father until she was eighteen." Elsa sat back on her elbows in the sand. "All part of being royalty, I guess. All the families and betrothals to form alliances or combine treasuries."

"I haven't met that many human kings. Eric isn't a king yet, but does most of the king stuff--meeting with people, doing treaties--that kind of thing."

"You haven't met that many kings? And you're a princess? What do you do all day?"

"Um..." Ariel scratched the back of her head. "You know, I just thought of something. I'm going to need some clothes after I drink this."

Elsa looked for any clothes on the beach, as if they would magically appear. "I guess I can go into town and find something. It's a little early though, I don't know if there'll be any shops open." She started up the sand hill. "Don't go anywhere."

"I won't," Ariel said. She slipped back in the water to keep her tail moisturized.

The walk to the marketplace wasn't long. Merchants busied themselves setting up their stands for the day--pulling out signs, arranging baskets of fruit, hanging goods. Elsa found one pulling out clothing from a wooden crate and asked if she were willing to make exchange this early. The clothier produced an elegant peasant gown with yellow fabric. It split at the waist, revealing the white skirt underneath and Elsa especially liked the taffeta below the neckline. She purchased it, along with some undergarments.

On the way back, she spied the town's wharf and realized they also needed a way back home. The harbormaster--a gruff, barrel-bodied man with a black mustache and striped shirt--stood near the marina's entrance, pointing and yelling at sailors not watching the rules. A stink-fog of salty sea garbage and dying fish surrounded them.

"Excuse me," Elsa said. "Are any of these ships heading to Arendelle today?"

"Arendelle?" He plucked his ledger out from his waistband. "Aye, there's a fishing vessel down the way. Ask for Captain Gunhild." He pointed down to a ship at the end of the dock. Elsa recognized its blue-green flag as one she'd seen in Arendelle's port.

Elsa thanked the man and walked toward the ship as gracefully as she could. It took all her concentration to keep her skinny legs on the warped wooden boards.

Various workers scampered around the ship like prairie dogs, knotting ropes and hauling crates. Elsa called to the man standing on the ramp.

"Is this boat going to Arendelle?"

"Eventually," he said. "Once we make a catch. Then we'll deliver it, sure as you're born. Why?"

"I need passage there."

Gunhild laughed. "This ain't no galleon, m'lady. It's a fishing vessel."

"I need to leave as soon as possible. Please. I can pay for passage."

Gunhild began coiling a rope. "I don't know. They say it's bad luck to have a woman on board. Pretty as you are."

"What does it say about two?" Elsa asked.

The supervisor stopped coiling. "Ummm..."

"I have another passenger coming with. And believe me, you will have no smoother waves than with her on board." Elsa smiled.

"Rather presumptuous for someone who hasn't even given me her name yet."

"Lady... Idun," Elsa said, thinking of her mother's name. She curtsied.

Gunhild stood straight. "A noblewoman? Please forgive me. I misjudged you by your clothes. My name is Gunhild, and my ship is yours. We'll be ready to undock within the hour. Can you be here by then?"

Elsa sighed. "That's fine. I'll go get my friend, and we'll arrive shortly."

They said their goodbyes and Elsa headed back to the beach. If she had given her real name, the captain would have accepted out of intimidation. People fawned or groveled in her presence. But behind her back, they feared, even when she'd hurt no one. And in numbers, they had mob strength behind them. Being a noblewoman was enough.

When Elsa set foot on the sand, Ariel poked her head out of the water. "Here you go." She handed the dress to Ariel. "There's ship going back to Arendelle within the hour."

"And from there, I can find passage back to my kingdom," Ariel said.

Elsa nodded. "But I think you should stay--at least for a little while--to help us figure out why this happened to us at the same time. I was originally going to Corona to find pyramite, but now..." Elsa looked into the distance. "I'm not sure there's a point anymore."

Ariel nodded. "Looks like the sun's risen." A visible gap lay between the ocean and the orange-red circle.

"Have you taken the potion yet?"

"I was waiting for you, just in case anything happened." She plucked off the stopper off and took a sniff. "Ugh. Well, down the hatch." Ariel tipped back the bottle and drained it as fast as she could. Her eyes squinched at the taste of lard, lemon, wax, acid, and sour candy. But still she glugged to the last.

She wiped her mouth and set the bottle back in the sand. They waited a long moment.

"Feel anything?" Elsa asked.

"... not yet. If that woman sc- HURRRK..."

Ariel doubled over, holding her stomach. Her insides felt like a bruised apple. Pain spread down her spine into her tail. It felt like a hot sword slicing her from groin to tail, separating each ligament and disc in her backbone. Hot fire spread from her midriff to her fluke, lighting every nerve hot.

But the pain in her abdomen began to fade. And then her hips. The sensation of agony ebbed to a stop. When she felt good enough to open her eyes, there were two bare legs where her mermaid tail had been.

"Phew," Ariel sighed. "That felt like giving birth. Not that I know what that feels like."

Elsa took off a decorative sash around her waist and handed it to her.

"Thanks." Ariel hoisted herself up. "I-" Her weight fell down her shins onto her thin feet. "Ow, I- whoa."

She tipped and fell into Elsa's arms. "You okay?"

"Feels like knives stabbing into my feet. It's okay, it's normal. There's no callus built up."

"Like your foot falling asleep," Elsa said. "Did this happen the first time."

Ariel nodded. "But I was having so much fun I didn't notice. The hard part was getting used to being vertical. I used to spend so much time horizontal."

Elsa smiled. She helped Ariel get her dress situated.

* * *

Rapunzel felt guilty for not crying as much as Anna.

It was a weird feeling. But the fact was she hadn't known her family for long. She didn't know her real mother and father until four years ago, let alone any extended relatives. She sympathized with Anna, but she had cried all the tears her body would permit.

Anna lay spread out on her bed, crying. All Rapunzel could do was sit next to her and rub her back. She'd hadn't stopped since the news. Her stomach muscles must have been sore. The pain of crying was a strange reflection of the pain inside.

"It sure looks nice outside," Olaf said, staring out the window. "The sun is shining. The ice on the leaves looks nice. Ha. The _ice_ looks _nice_. I rhymed. See? Anna?"

Anna sniffled, head buried in her pillow. Rapunzel gave Olaf a look.

Between crying jags, Anna had been able to explain why a talking snowman lived in the palace. Now that Rapunzel was used to him, she found him a little annoying. His naïve and dreamy optimism never turned off.

A knock at the door interrupted.

"I'll get it," Olaf declared. He waddled around the bed to the door. "Maybe it's cookies. Cookies always cheer me up."

Olaf wrapped his twig around the doorknob. Prime assistant Kai stood at the door. His gray face looked like it had aged ten years.

"Oh. He has no cookies." Olaf's face dropped and he walked away.

Rapunzel stepped up to be inside the doorframe, shielding Anna from the conversation.

"A thousand excuses, my lady. But it is time for the royal appointment of ministers," Kai said.

"Does it have to be now?"

"With regrets, this is a rather timely need. The administrators of agriculture and medicine need to have their decrees signed into law. The positions have been vacant for some time. Queen Elsa made her decision some weeks ago. But it needs to be witnessed by a quorum of councilmen and judges. And we couldn't gather enough until now."

"This isn't the best time. Isn't there a sabbatical from all royal business for a period of mourning?"

"Yes, but right now, the queen's considered lost at sea. No one confirmed seeing her body, and all the crew returned. So many consider it too early to declare her dead. She may yet send word of her survival."

"I wish someone would tell Anna that," Rapunzel muttered.

"After a certain amount of time, the regent may declare her death in absentia. Until then, the government is continuing as before. Which means, if we don't make the appointment, we won't be able to pass certain charters we promised to have drafted by now. Land allocations and agriculture implements will be delayed. And I can't imagine the citizens would be happy hearing that. All that needs to happen is to make it official."

Rapunzel bit her lip. Anna's back shakily rose and fell with each breath.

"I guess I can do it. For now."

She followed Kai through the hall and into the throne room. A set of nine old men and women were milling around, talking in groups of two or three. They turned their heads to the opening door.

"Councilors. Acting queen regent, Princess Rapunzel of Corona."

Rapunzel leaned out from behind him. She waved.

"Hi. I hope no one minds. Anna's not here, but she and I are cousins, so I think I can still authorize important documents. It just needs to be signed, right?"

One of the judges nodded. "I heard you were helping the princess while the queen's away. And..." His eyes locked on the trail of hair leading into the hallway.

Rapunzel shook hands with everyone. "Yes, I didn't know about the disaster until I got here, but I'm trying to help where I can."

"If you have time, do you think you could formalize some of the other decrees that have been waiting?"

"I think I'd rather let Anna do that. She's the rightful ruler of the kingdom now."

"I'm not asking you to blindly sign them, of course. But some of have been sitting for months."

"I'm really just here for this one thing. Kai told me it couldn't wait."

She found the ministers of agriculture and medicine that she was about to appoint and shook their hands. The minister of agriculture was a kind woman with puffy, gray hair and thick glasses. The minister of medicine had a lean and hungry look, with small eyes and a thin goatee.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said. "Your hair is amazing. I didn't even know hair could get that long. How do you get it like that?"

"Oh, time and care," Rapunzel said.

"Is this a fashion in your kingdom? Does everyone wear their hair like that in Corona?"

"No, just me." She coughed. "Is there something I'm supposed to sign?"

Kai handed her the document, stating the date and name of the appointees with a long passage of legal boilerplate.

"It's already been looked over and approved by the judges." He pointed to the wax emblem in the lower left corner.

Rapunzel took the quill from Kai. "By the power invested in me by the queen regent, I, Rapunzel, princess of Corona, ordain this law binding to the people and state of Arendelle."

Rapunzel searched for where to make her mark and chewed her lip. Each signature was labeled with the signer's role--judge, councilman. If it said "queen" she didn't know what to do. But the label said "royal administrator" She guessed she could be that.

The people in the chamber politely clapped when she lifted her pen. While Kai rolled up the scroll, the new minister of medicine said, "To tell the truth, I'm not terribly sad to see you here."

Rapunzel raised her eyebrows. "Why?"

His eyes listed away. "Anna's never been seen as a great leader. Taking responsibilities from her would prove well for us all."

Kai interjected. "Her parents focused on grooming Queen Elsa, since she would be the one to take the crown. She took her lessons in Latin, history, mathematics. Meanwhile, Anna would be getting into some mischief or riding her pony or taking picnic near the coast."

Rapunzel guessed that since they had Elsa doing the work, they didn't put up much of a fuss to get Anna to study.

A judge said, "Last year, Elsa got the flu, so Anna had to take the throne for a few days. She even said 'how hard could it be'?" The judge chuckled to himself.

_Seems like something Anna would say_ , Rapunzel thought. "What happened?"

"Not much. She declared war on all dandelions, for one."

The group burst into laughter.

"That afternoon," said another councilor, "was the knighting the captain of the guard. In the dubbing, she cut his ear."

"Her assistants had to 'school' her in proper terminology on the spot. She accidentally impeached the bed sheets. Then she appointed her pony as minister of finance. She had to excuse herself to the bathroom before it ended."

"I don't think there was one thing she didn't bungle one way or another," said a third councilor. "We started calling her 'her accidency' behind her back."

Rapunzel laughed along with the others, mostly to be polite. Were they treating her as a joke, or laughing in good humor? Did other citizens feel this way? As funny as it was to imagine, what would happen when Anna did come to the throne? "Maybe I will have a look at some of those documents."

Since the councilors had all gathered together, examining proposals didn't take long. In fact, it was kind of fun. The legalese didn't bother her, since she'd read all those law books. In fact, it was kind of fun finding where holes needed to be plugged in the constitutionality.

But then she remembered Anna and excused herself when a fair chunk of the work was done. At least she had saved the poor girl from some tedious labor.

Back in the Anna's room, Olaf was trying to tell a joke. "Okay, here's one I just came up with. Why do snowmen have such cold feet? Because they're brrrr-footed. Get it? I thought of that after seeing you and Rapunzel walking around. You two are like sisters... oh."

Anna's cries reached a new level of intensity.

"Maybe we should try giving Anna some time alone," Rapunzel whispered. She needed a break from mourning and Olaf needed a break from trying to cheer Anna up.

"Oh, sure," Olaf said. "I love walks. You get to see the sun, and all the flowers. Oh, well, not now. But the ice is nice too. Hey, that rhymed."

Rapunzel put on some cleated boots. Olaf's little feet fluttered while the other globes of his body remained still.

"It's a beautiful kingdom," Rapunzel said. "I wish I could have seen it when it was green."

"Pfft, Rapunzel, kingdom's aren't green. The grass is green. And leaves. And trees. And that thing on your shoulder."

Rapunzel noticed Pascal coming out of the warmth of her hair. He shivered. She patted his head. "Sorry, Pascal. This isn't the kind of weather you're used to."

Pascal croaked and gave a firm nod.

Olaf gasped. "Oh, look at him. He's so cute, he's like a tiny, green reindeer."

Guards opened the large double doors to the village proper. The aroma of smoke accompanied the crisp frost in the air. They followed their noses to the town square.

Townspeople stood around a campfire. They patted their sides and stayed close together.

"Ooh, fire's not so good for me. Even with my personal flurry," Olaf said.

But Rapunzel wasn't listening. She approached cautiously, figuring out what was going on.

"My fishes are fine, but everything else is almost gone. My berries, the sweet cream. I won't have any yeast for bread," said a townsperson in a baker's outfit.

"It's an insidious cold," his partner said. "Not enough to freeze, but not warm enough for comfort."

"Doesn't help that others are pinching their pennies. They know what happened last year."

Rapunzel interjected. "If there's food going bad, maybe we can get others to come. There's a warm fire here, and we can make it... sort of a party."

The two looked at each other and shrugged. "Might as well," one citizen said. "Going to waste in the larder anyway."

Olaf and Rapunzel split up and went door-to-door asking people to join them. Many declined, but Rapunzel mentioned how important it was to keep spirits high when everything looked drab and gray. Each citizen took what wood and food they had and contributed at the town's square.

Soon the bonfire was two persons high, and an assortment of strange but diverse food had been laid out. Pascal sat on a barrel, changing colors while boys and girls watched and laughed. He didn't mind, as they kept dropping chunks of bread and cream. The darting of his tongue delighted the children even more.

Olaf walked around the outskirts of the crowd, waving his twig at everyone. "Hi, hi there, how you doing? Liking the fire? Don't get too close. Very hot. First-hand experience."

Many wanted to talk to Rapunzel. They had seen her with Princess Anna and had questions for the girl with seventy feet of hair. And it gave Rapunzel a chance to listen to their sentiments.

"As far as I know, the treasury's got enough for a while. There aren't any big debts. The ground isn't frozen."

"There's no point to soft ground if there's no sun." The crowd grumbled affirmative.

"I'm sure we can find a way to get back in business. Maybe there's an advantage we haven't figured out. Mushrooms don't need sun to grow," Rapunzel grinned.

"Hmm, that's a good point," someone said.

"It's depressing though. Who wants to live in a world where it's always cloudy?"

"Further north, it's often night for months at a time," Rapunzel said, "And people live up there just fine. But I believe we'll think of a solution. These clouds are still lower than the mountains."

"What? Are you suggesting we climb to the mountain and kick the clouds away?"

"Maybe. Nothing's impossible," Rapunzel said. "We just need to think about it. With some hard work and enough people looking at the problem, I'm sure we'll come up with a solution."

"Maybe giant mirrors can reflect the sunlight," someone said.

"There you go. If we can't get past the clouds, we'll find a way to around them."

That got the pleasant, optimistic laugh she'd been hoping for. She left out that the kingdom's smartest people couldn't figure anything out.

Olaf turned his head backwards to the noise. Not looking where he was going, he collided with the barrel. It teetered back and forth until Pascal landed in Olaf's torso.

Pascal burrowed in his body, trying to find a way out, as Olaf squiggled around. "Ooh, that's an interesting sensation. Ah, ooh, ah, hey. Oh, that feels weird." The snowman held his torso, as if having stomach pains. Pascal burst out his head through his chest. Olaf pressed his hands to his temples and screamed. "Aaaaaah... oh, there you are."

Confident Pascal was okay, Rapunzel moved through the crowd, spreading her new attitude. First she talked to the bakers.

"No, really, I've done it before," she said. "It's six teaspoons of cornmeal, two of flour, a cup of scalded milk and a quarter teaspoon of baking soda."

"But there's no yeast. How does it rise?"

"It's the bacteria in the cornmeal and flour. It's denser and more crumb-y than regular bread. And it takes longer. But once you get the starter going..."

"Amazing," the baker said. "If it sells, we could double our production once the sun comes back!"

"Wow. A queen who bakes," an old lady said. Some of the elders who whiled away the hours had also joined in.

"Oh, I'm not a queen. Not yet. And not here," Rapunzel said.

"Maybe you should apply for an apprenticeship," the old lady joked.

Rapunzel shirked away, smiling. But the people around her expected a response. She didn't know what to say. They wanted to hear something she wasn't ready to deliver.

She didn't have to. At that moment, the whinny of a horse sounded streets away, followed by a blood-curdling crash of splintered wood.

The crowd ran toward the sound in a mass, filtering between alleyways until they came to the accident. A cart had overturned. Two horses rushed down the street, their reins flapping behind them. Behind them lay a broken cart, with a man pinned under.

"Cursed beasts," he shouted. "A tiny slip startles you?! You- ERGH!"

Rapunzel slipped through the mob. She gasped. "Are you hurt?"

"I've got a cart laying on me!" He coughed, sputtering something in his mouth. Rapunzel hoped it wasn't what she thought it was.

"Roll it off him," someone shouted.

"You fool, that will break his ribs for sure. A wrong shake might kill him."

"They're already broken. Someone find a jack."

"That'll take forever."

"Do something!" The man coughed again. "Feels like I'm drowning."

Rapunzel's eyes darted around the environment. She pulled her hair into a pile at her feet. One end, she handed it to a bystander. "Tie this around the shafts. Make it tight!"

Before he could say "wha?", Rapunzel ran off and shimmied up a lamppost.

"What is she doing?" someone murmured.

Bounding like a cat across the roof, she found two chimneys in adjacent houses. She tied a swath of hair around each, creating a pulley. With the remaining slack, she leaned over the roof. "Ready?"

The man tying the hair around the cart's axle gave a firm yank. "Ready!" He turned and saluted.

Rapunzel rappelled off the roof to the gasps of her audience. Her clean, smooth hair traveled with her. The cart trembled, but its front lifted only slightly. The man underneath groaned.

Rapunzel the hair as taut as it could get. "Little help!"

Townspeople rushed over and grabbed a handful, pulling like a tug-of-war. The cart's nose lifted into the sky, the front wheels spinning. Those who remained dragged the pinned man from underneath.

Rapunzel sighed. Someone untied the hair from around the cart. With a few whips, she unsnarled the rest from the roof, where it dropped into a neat coil beside her.

"He's not breathing," someone said.

Rapunzel's heart beat like a drum. The crowd rushed closer. "Is there a doctor anywhere? Can anyone heal him?"

A little boy in the crowd pointed at Rapunzel. "She can."

Rapunzel swallowed.

"I've seen it. It's her hair. It's magic."

The townspeople stopped. She could almost read their minds--"Is that true?" "Can she do that?" "If she can, she better do it quick, before he dies."

Rapunzel knelt down and wrapped her hair once around the man's chest. She took a breath and closed her eyes.

"Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."

Behind her eyelids, the bright amber glow began. The hair under her hands grew warm like the sun.

"Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine..."

The man's throat rattled. He took a huge gulp of air.

Rapunzel opened her eyes to see the townspeople gaping at her. Olaf's jaw was practically on the ground. Rapunzel's body tensed as she remembered how the townspeople treated Elsa when they learned about her powers. A long moment past as she waited for their reaction.

One man clapped. Others followed, until it sounded like the whole town was applauding. Rapunzel stood up, while those around her clapped her on the back, hugged her, shook her hand.

_No going back now_ , she thought.

 

 


	10. When You Fish Upon a Star

It was a lonely breakfast.

Rapunzel could have ordered anything she wanted, but she asked for coffee and croissants. She didn't think there would be time for a big meal, given the way the staff was demanding her time. They were asking her to examine chronicles, make judgments, allocate treasury money--all things she shouldn't have been responsible for. But someone had to run the kingdom from day to day.

Gerda carried in a list of scrolls. "Here's the list of docket items today. Councilor of treasury." She put down one scroll. "Councilor of domestic affairs." Another scroll. "Religious affairs." Another. "War and warcraft." The last. "And wainwrights. Not bad for a Tuesday."

"Thanks," Rapunzel said.

"And don't forget to ask for help if you need it. We know this is hard, but we're all behind you."

Not long after, Kai entered with a tablet. "These are your sessions today. They take place after lunch. Two barons are requesting more land grants as a reward for their hard work. The infantry captain in the northeast is awaiting orders. And don't forget that tomorrow you are officiating the presentation of medals."

"A princess's job is never done, eh?" she smiled.

"Believe me, we all appreciate you. It's a great weight off our shoulders. Especially in these trying times."

As Kai left, Rapunzel looked into her coffee. Her reflection wobbled at her. "Is this how my life begins?" she asked. "I barely know my own country, let alone this one."

But she steeled her resolve. This was the sort of thing her mom and dad did on a daily basis. And they did it under the sorrow of a lost child, year after year.

After five minutes, in which she downed her coffee and croissants, Kai and Gerda poked their head into the empty dining room. "We're ready for you now. The first appointment is waiting in the throne room."

Rapunzel stood up. "Why don't we have it in the garden?"

Kai and Gerda goggled. "The garden?"

"It's a lovely day, even though everything's icy. I could use a walk. Better than spending all day sitting, right?"

"That's... not usually how the queen receives guests."

"If I'm to be ruler-in-stead, I get to make the decisions I want, isn't that right?"

They couldn't argue with that. Rapunzel spent the morning receiving guests in the garden. She discussed policies and grants and boundaries until one o'clock, the midday meal. No one joined her--Anna and Olaf were still in repose. Her meal was a small setting of broth and bread.

The evening yielded a much bigger feast. After an afternoon of reviewing military movements and supplies, new boundary revisions, and granting the blessing of marriage to one of the castle's knights, she prepared for the evening feast. Given the guest list of councilors and barons, it would be less about winding down and more about bending her ear.

Her dress didn't stray far from pink and purple, but it was much more elegant, with ruffled taffeta, lace, encrusted gold jewels, and some lovely ribbons across the shoulders. It was like her own favorite dress, but upgraded for a queen.

Kai held up his hand at the entrance to the dining hall. He opened the door and announced. "Presenting the ruler of Arendelle, Queen-Regent Rapunzel of Corona."

"Oh," Rapunzel whispered. "I don't know if I'm really the queen-regent."

"You're acting in place of Princess Anna. I thought it was the correct title."

Rapunzel met and greeted each member at the table. She sat at its head.

"Princess Rapunzel, if I might, where is Princess Anna?" asked Lord Augie, one of the barons.

"She is... indisposed at the moment." It wouldn't do for others to know their new queen had been an emotional wreck for days. "Luckily, I was here visiting so I've been taking on some of her duties."

The attendees nodded. A pallor of silence cast over the dining room, except for the clink of silver. Servers in white tunics moved wordlessly from station to station.

"All right, I'm just going to say it," said a man with a gray mustache and potato-like head. "What's with the hair?"

The already quiet room became more silent. Rapunzel touched her head. "Duke Werner, right?"

"Yes. Is it sorcery? Witchcraft? Some kind of magic wig? Do others in Corona have it?"

Rapunzel giggle. "It's my own hair. I was born with it. Surely you're no strangers to natural magic here?"

Werner looked away, ashamed. "I... I just... Then everything that happened today is true? You pulled a cart off of a person with just your hair? And then healed him with the same?"

Rapunzel nodded.

"That hair must be strong as steel," Werner said.

"Well, you braid anything right, the tensile strength increases. Even rigging ropes are just strings upon strings upon strings."

"And you decide to wear it down," said Councilor Tora, a short woman with thick glasses. "Is that the style in Corona? How long does it take to brush?"

"That's part of the magic actually. Nothing clings to it. Even dragging on the ground, it never picks up dirt."

"Speaking of magic, any progress on figuring out this ice storm?" asked Councilor Helene, a large woman in a purple dress and buxom breasts. She nipped at a sardine on her tiny fork.

"Still working on it. But at least the ice harvesters are doing a good job chipping it away," Rapunzel said.

"You can't chip away the clouds. I haven't seen the sun in days. It's so depressing. Even my cat is feeling it, she's sleeping longer than usual," Helene said.

"There's dark magic at work, I know it. My left toe bone starts tingling when weird things happen. It happened last summer," Tora said.

"We're all trying to figure something out," Rapunzel said. "It sky might be gray, but we can always look at the colors of the town."

Lord Bjorn, a fat man with glasses, interrupted. "Princess Rapunzel, this inconvenient weather is merely distracting from real issues. Could we please address the topic of rent prices? You recently passed a law stating that prices could be no higher than a percentage of the yield."

"I did?"

"Well, your predecessor did."

"I'm not going to repeal any of Elsa's decisions. She knows the country better than me, and I'm sure her actions had a reason."

This seemed to satisfy the lord, but he added, "If you do serve in the long-term, then I wish you would consider revisiting it. At least the numerical values."

"Sure. That'll give me time to see how it's working."

Councilor Helene jumped out of her seat. Her hair stood on end. "What is that?" she shrieked, pointing with her tiny fork.

Pascal sat on Rapunzel's plate, eyeing the food. "Oh, don't worry. That's Pascal."

"It just crawled out of your hair."

"Yeah, sometimes I forget he's even in there anymore. I've been so busy." She handed him a lettuce leaf. "Sorry, buddy. Crickets are kind of scarce in this weather. I'll find you something soon, I promise."

Councilor Tora leaned forward. "I've never seen one before. Do you keep other exotic pets?"

"He's not a pet, he's my friend. He's been with me through thick and thin, always cheering me up when I needed it. You've never seen one?"

"I think it's too cold in the winter for much reptilian life," Tora said.

"We certainly don't keep the little beasts in our homes," Helene said.

"That's a shame. You'll never meet a more loyal friend. And he can change colors. Pascal?"

Pascal gave her a look like "you expect me to show off for _these_ people?"

"Please?" Rapunzel asked.

Pascal stepped onto the center of her plate and turned an egg-shell white. The dinner guests gasped.

"How charming," Duke Werner said.

He stepped onto the burgundy tablecloth and morphed into the same bittersweet color. The dinner guests held up the sleeves of their mauve and chartreuse dinner jackets against him.

"Do me next," someone near the end of the table shouted.

"Ahem," Lord Bjorn coughed. "Yes, yes, the lizard is cute-"

"Chameleon," Rapunzel corrected.

"Whatever. But we're here to discuss policy, are we not?"

"You're right," Rapunzel said. She ushered Pascal back onto her plate.

"One of the problems we have yet to address is law enforcement," Lord Bjorn continued. "This ice storm's going to force people into desperate situations again. It won't be long before food shortages lead to dissatisfaction with the government. And that leads to rebellion."

Duke Werner raised his thumb. "He does have a point. Yesterday alone, two stores were robbed. It's not that the storm gave them more favorable circumstances do so. It's that they're worried about having enough food. And after that you get black markets, corrupt guards, officers accepting bribes."

Bjorn interjected. "I recently proposed a new motion to the council--a task force made up of elite soldiers. The toughest, most merciless guys there are. They'll patrol the streets, letting others know that even in these desperate times, crime will _not_ be tolerated."

"What, like a brute squad?" Rapunzel asked.

"I... I wouldn't call it that."

"Security used to be horrible in Corona's castle. A baby was kidnapped. A gang of thugs broke out a criminal before he was to be executed. And someone stole the princess's crown with _nine_ guards in the room. But our new captain of the guards invented some new practices that really helped. Like strength training and daily meetings so everyone knows what's going on and they can bring up any obstacles they're running into. The best new thing is this break-in game. We separate everyone into two teams, aggressors and defenders. The aggressors try to infiltrate the castle and it helps find where the holes are."

The others at the table nodded. "How innovative. Maybe you could write to him and ask if he has any ideas?" Councilor Tora asked.

"Or better yet, send for him to come here." Councilor Helene said. "First-hand training for the regiment. The whole kingdom could benefit from his presence."

"I don't know. He has trouble staying upright in boats. He's a horse."

Everyone at the table stared.

"Sorry. Did you say... he's a horse?" Lord Bjorn asked.

Rapunzel nodded enthusiastically. "Maximus. He used to be the captain's steed.."

"What a promotion," Duke Werner said.

Rapunzel smiled. "I've never met any guard or soldier as dedicated or brave as him. As long as you treat him with respect. I think the fact that he's different has gone a long way. He's thought of things no human ever would."

Duke Werner coughed. "Um... if you don't mind my asking... how did a horse become your captain of the guards?"

"It's a long story. I met him while he was trying to capture my husband."

Lord Bjorn almost spit out his wine. "I'm sorry. He was trying to capture your husband? Was he a criminal?"

"Like I said, it's a long story," Rapunzel said.

"I'd like to hear it," Councilor Tora said.

"Me too," Werner and Helene said. All others murmured in agreement. It didn't look like she was going to get out of this without telling the tale.

Rapunzel described everything from her tower to finding her parents again. She answered follow-up questions and discussions about Arendelle's status throughout. Everyone stayed enraptured as each course was served. When someone remarked on the lateness of the hour, Rapunzel noticed how much the mood had lightened. She hoped that would trickle down to their constituents, to the citizens. There was hope after all.

* * *

Elsa was starting to get annoyed with Ariel.

She couldn't stop grinning at her new legs. After climbing back up the hill, she skipped and jumped along the dirt road through the marketplace. Shopkeepers held out necklaces and sugared fruits. Wool, grain, and scented oils blended into an aromatic stew, made tangy with the sea breeze chill.

At one point, Elsa lost Ariel in the crowd. But thanks to her red hair, the queen spotted her right away. She had meandered to a lutist using an over-turned washtub as his platform. He was crooning a romantic sonnet to the small crowd--mostly ladies--acting in such a way so each girl could think it was about her.

  
_My lady left me once again_  
_Left me in her prime_  
_A paramour which I'd not contend_  
_The suitor known as time_

_The grains of sand are falling_  
_The sun is setting low_  
_What loves have I lost_  
_What riches did I pass_  
_Lost in the endless flow_

_Set by cruel rhyme and runic meter_  
_Forced forward without a sound_  
_So many paths and routes untaken_  
_Yet ne'er the right one found_

_The grains of sand are falling_  
_The sun is setting low_  
_What loves have I lost_  
_What riches did I pass_  
_Lost in the endless flow_

_I liv'd the life of a fool_  
_Made choices by envy or fear_  
_Slung arrows that I can ne'er take back_  
_Dally and dawdle as fate draws near_

_Every leaf's a separate life_  
_But no tree lasts forever_  
_When the final tide washes on the shore_  
_My wasted life to sever_

_The grains of sand are falling_  
_The sun is setting low_  
_What loves have I lost_  
_What riches did I pass_  
_Lost in the endless flow_  


Elsa dropped a coin in the man's case. She had to tug Ariel's arm twice before she would accompany her. "That was amazing," Ariel said. "That... twang-a-ma-jigger."

"It's just a lute."

"But the way he played it, it sounded amazing. I've never heard that kind of music before. And I try and see all the traveling musicians that come through."

"Doesn't that distract you from duties?"

"I can't resist. There's always something new to hear. Or plays or games or sports or books or... all those things they don't even have names for. Like the smell of rain hitting the ground and mystery stories and the swishy sound ball gowns make and fuzzy sweaters and..."

"Okay, I get it. Even after a year of being human, there's still a lot new to you."

Ariel nodded.

"But you're not the only one in this. The sooner we get back to Arendelle, the sooner we can start fixing this. We can't let ourselves get distracted by every little thing."

They descended from the marketplace down to the docks. Elsa pointed out Captain Gunhild, standing at the top of the ramp. Again she reminded Ariel that she was going under a false moniker.

"Lady Idun. It's a pleasure to have you on board. I hope our preparations didn't delay you," Gunhild said.

"We had some... errands to attend to first," Elsa said.

"And some shopping," Ariel laughed again.

"This is my companion, Ariel. I mentioned she'd be traveling with us."

"Indeed." Gunhild kissed her hand. "Please, follow me." The captain led them up the ramp to the main deck.

The crew was not like the gold-tanned roughnecks Ariel was used to. Each tossed their ropes and swung around poles with a smile on his face. They were like happy whales starting the migration again. Then Ariel noticed the hooks and harpoons. Wooden crates and metal cages were tied down all around the deck.

"This is a fishing vessel," she said.

"Yes, but we're heading to Arendelle first. We'll only haul out what we can find on the way," Gunhild said.

"Thank you," Elsa said.

Gunhild called out to look lively, they'd be shoving off. Sailors heaved rigging and pulled up anchors while Ariel and Elsa headed to the front to stay out of the way.

"How come you get a secret identity and I don't?" Ariel whispered to Elsa.

"Because you aren't well known as a queen who can decimate entire kingdoms."

Ariel couldn't stop staring at the labyrinth of ropes and chains wound around the cracked wood. Rusted hooks and reddish stains stained the deck as in a torture chamber. Fish fins and dismembered crab legs hid in the corners.

"Something wrong?" Elsa asked.

Ariel shook her head. "No, nothing." She turned her attention to the other clippers and galleons dotting the horizon. Were they all fishing vessels too? Were they out providing food and money for their families?

"What ho! Look down there," Captain Gunhild called out. "Seems we do have a bit of fortune after all."

Below, a herd of dolphins cruised alongside the boat, leaping with rhythmic precision in and out of the wake. Ariel and Elsa grinned. They watched for a while, glancing between the calming sea and their followers below, until they reached cruising speed.

"Could we see our cabin now?" Elsa asked the captain. She'd had as much of the ocean as she could take for a while. A craving for an intimate, enclosed space gnawed at her.

"You'll be using my quarters. I'll bunk with the men for the journey." Gunhild escorted the girls to sterncastle and held open the door for them. The captain's quarters held naught but a table with a navigator's map and a single bed.

"My apologies for the conditions. I assure you, it's the best I have to offer."

"This is more than adequate. Certainly more than I could ask. You've already done enough allowing us on your ship."

"Oh no, ma'am, it's my pleasure. If there's anything else, let me know, but now I need to return to my duties. I'll make sure no one bothers you."

"Thank you," Elsa said. Gunhild closed the door on them.

Ariel fell onto the bed. "I can't believe how tired I am. I just realized we've been up for more than day."

Elsa scooted out the chair. "You can nap. I'll read." The captain's desk had a small row of tomes, with navigation equipment as bookends.

"Are you sure? I can squeeze over."

"No, I'll be fine. I'm not that tired anyway." The truth was, Elsa wouldn't be able to sleep no matter how many beds there were. The only person she could sleep in the same room with was Anna. But with quietude and a book to dive into, she could reach a close approximation to sleep.

Ariel pulled up the sheets and, after a few good squeezes, nuzzled into the pillow.

Elsa pulled out a handbook on basic mapmaking. The author had written well enough to give any reader a firm grip on the basics. After finishing it, she bet she could do as well as any swabbie. She finished one more book on nautical navigation and astronomy, perused the captain's log, and then opened an old favorite--"Homer's Odyssey" Halfway through, she drifted off in the chair.

A knock at the door woke them both. "Begging your pardon, ladies, but we and the crew are about to start dinner. We ain't got no fancy royal feast, but there's hard tack and cheese in the galley for ye."

"That's just fine," Elsa said.

Ariel stirred and sat up. "Can't be worse than the last thing I ate," she said, thinking of the crimson potion.

"Er, I could bring ye each a plate up, so'sn ye wouldn't have to interlope with the roughnecks in the galley."

"Ooh, could we go down to the galley?" Ariel asked. "We've been in this room all day. I could use the company."

Elsa closed her book. She'd spent enough time by herself that she could endure others. The two of them followed Gunhild down the stairs to the mess. The crew was sitting at the table, elbows in the cheeks of their mates, reaching over for condiments.

"Oh, uh... forgive us for the smell. We don't entertain naught but ourselves down here," Gunhild said.

"We've been through far worse lately," Elsa said.

Elsa and Ariel sat on opposite benches at the end. A salty man with a white, scraggly beard and liver spots scooted over. "They say that having a woman on board is bad luck, but I think you're the exception," he said. "Between those dolphins and the calm seas... I can't put my finger on it, but there's something special about you two."

_You have no idea_ , Elsa thought.

Captain Gunhild coughed for attention. "Crew, mind your manners. You are addressing a noblewoman. Lady Idun and Ariel."

"Won't we have a story to tell tomorrow morning," a broad-chested man said. "The boys at the harbor were must have thought we were the flagship in a grand procession." The men's laughter punctuated his joke.

Captain Gunhild set plates in front of Elsa and Ariel--a hard biscuit, dry salt pork, cheese, and raisins. "Apologies again for the state of the meal. I wasn't prepared to have more on board. Not nobility certainly."

"It's fine. You don't need to keep apologizing," Elsa said.

"Tomorrow, we'll have Cookie make our famous fish stew. We usually have it the night before we return to home dock, but this is a special occasion. It... well, it won't blow your mind, compared to what you're used to I'm sure. But it warms you up."

"Freshest fish you'll ever taste," the white-haired man, presumably Cookie, chimed in. "It's got tuna, haddock, lobster, clam juice, garlic, tomatoes-"

"And too much pepper!" someone shouted, making the crew laugh.

"And don't forget the secret ingredient." This elicited some faint chuckles from the crew, as if they weren't supposed to laugh.

"What's the secret ingredient?" Ariel asked.

"Whiskey," Captain Gunhild said. "Of course, it all depends on what we can haul in."

"Oh, I feel it in my bones," Cookie said. "It'll be a good catch this round."

"You always say that," one sailor said.

"How is the fishing these days?" Elsa asked.

The crew mumbled over their hard tack and water.

"We can't complain," Gunhild responded. "The problem is the other ships in the fleet. We're starting to get a reputation for pulling in less than the others, making shorter hauls, coming in late. It's almost as if the fish are getting smarter."

Elsa looked at Ariel. She raised her eyebrows as if to say "don't look at me, it's not my fault."

"And that stagnant wind didn't help," Gunhild added. "Last outing, we spent two days at sea longer than we should have. A quarter of our catch went bad."

"What if you started harvesting seaweed? Do you think people could learn to eat that?"

Gunhild laughed from the belly. "If I thought they would, I'd catch it. I can't even get my son to eat his carrots."

"Oh, there's lots you can make with kelp. Pasta, cookies..."

Gunhild gave her a condescending smile. "It's a good idea, but the vegetables and fruits on land all taste a sight better. From what I hear, farmers work hard enough as it is. I complain, but it's a good life."

"If you can find the ocean, there's always something to eat," Cookie said.

"Keeps a roof over our heads," someone else interjected.

Gunhild nodded. "When it's good, it's really good. I haven't seen my family in a month, because I've been trying for a big haul. And when I do, I don't have to worry when the door knocks."

A crewmember at the end pointed a pork bone at Gunhild. "Remember that time we stayed on shift the entire day. Surf was so high, wind was so cold. But we kept pulling them in, one after another. It was like they were jumping into our boat."

While the sailors related their stories about big catches, little catches, and practical jokes they played on each other, Ariel quietly stood up from the table and walked away.

"Hagar pulled out a perch that was fifty one pounds. He dragged it around the deck, saying he was going to marry it and have fish babies. Wouldn't let it go until each one of us kissed it."

Unlike the rest of the crew, Elsa noticed Ariel had gone and excused herself. For the most part, the main deck was empty. Ariel stood at the forecastle and stared into the ocean.

"What's wrong?" Elsa asked.

"I just... I don't know. I'm so confused. I think I might have done a bad thing. But I didn't really do it, or... I don't know."

"Okay, calm down. Start at the beginning."

"I... there's only a few people who know I was a...you know... besides Eric. His advisor, the head maid, a few others. Just important people. Close people. But everyone else knows me as the prince's wife. We... Eric... he cares about me, you know. He wanted me to be happy."

"What did he do?" Elsa asked, biting her lip.

"He... we... passed an ordinance that banned all fishing. For any vessel in the kingdom."

Elsa's eyebrows shot up. As a queen, she knew what impact that would have. Any prosperous kingdom had to have access to a port of water. Part of the reason Arendelle regained so much in the past year was a bountiful ocean harvest.

"But it's not like we banned boats or anything. There's still trade, there's transportation," Ariel stammered.

"But people have to eat. They need fish meat and whale oil and salt and sponges. These are big items in times of famine."

"I know! I don't know what to do. I see places and people like this and my kingdom's struggling to keep food on the table. The treasury's draining so much it'll be gone in a year and a half. But what if one day I see someone that I used to say 'good morning' to."

"You ate the chowder last night. At the inn."

Ariel swallowed. "No, I left the fish pieces. I was too hungry not to eat the rest. But even then it tasted weird. I felt like a lamprey. I just... I couldn't."

"Don't fish eat other fish to live?"

That was true. They still ate along the food chain. Shrimp ate microbes. Spotfish and sunfish ate shrimp. Mackerel ate those. Tuna ate mackerel. And sharks ate everything. Even without the apex predators, crabs and seagulls ate other ocean-going creatures, and they were her best friends.

"Yeah, I suppose. But what if someone tries to serve me Sebastian? He opens the dinner tray and it's Flounder staring up at me with lifeless eyes."

Elsa presumed these were friends of hers. "No one's asking you to change. But you're human now. Your people need you to be a human. They're depending on that. The sea's not your home anymore. At least that's what you told me, right?"

"Right."

"When I was a kid, I saw a fox chasing a squirrel. I ran to try and save the squirrel. Before I knew it, a big icicle stuck out between them. The squirrel got away, ran into the bushes. But the fox... it just looked at me. It sat there and stared, like it was blaming me. Even though I might have saved the squirrel, I was letting the fox starve. Both were doing what they could to survive. And I interrupted that."

"But isn't there another way?" Ariel asked.

"Humans use natural resources to survive. The ocean is part of that. We can't keep going without it. A kingdom's ruler has one job: keep the kingdom going. Your people are looking to you to for that. You've got to do what's best for them. You can't use your authority to impose your own beliefs."

Ariel stood still.

"You know what I mean?" Elsa touched her shoulder. "Ariel?"

"That ship..." She pointed across the horizon to one of the sailing ships nearby. "That ship is still there. I don't think it's moved. I mean, it's moved, but..."

Elsa cupped her hands around her eyes. It had a red finish and dirty sails. "Is it moving with us? I remember it from this morning."

The flag atop the crow's nest lowered. A black skull and crossbones replaced it.

"Uh-oh."

 


	11. The Gloves Come Off

Rapunzel couldn't sleep.

And when she couldn't sleep in Corona, she wandered the castle halls. Arendelle's night castle reflected her home's empty rooms and vacant corridors, ornamented with flickering torches. Each room smelled of petrichor and the windows felt cold to the touch. The night staff--guards and washerwomen--said their hellos as she passed, but little else. And as far as she could tell, they were the only ones up at this hour.

Until she passed a door with a crack of light underneath. The astronomical observatory. Of course, Augie would be up. This was when he did his work. Rapunzel cracked open his room but didn't see him. The warm light invited her in.

Rapunzel idly spun the orrey. The planets cycled through a few years, then slowed to a standstill. She held up a sextant and tried to figure out how it worked. Then she noticed the open telescope.

She peeked into the eyepiece but made sure not to touch any of the dials. A canvas of off-color black spread before her. She pulled away to check the eyepiece for any damage. If something was wrong with the primary objective lens, it could mean trouble. "What am I looking at?" Rapunzel mumbled.

The royal astronomer walked around the bookcase with an armful of scrolls. "If there were no clouds, what you would be seeing is Saturn."

"Oh. Hello, Mr. Augie. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I hope I didn't mess up your telescope."

"There's nothing to see anyway. The clouds have ground my work to a standstill. I can't even see the moon. But don't worry, I recorded the settings. Please, have fun. It would please me if you found anything to look at." Augie spilled the scrolls onto the long table in the middle of the room.

Rapunzel made herself comfortable on the nearby stool and returned to the eyepiece. "I love telescopes. I never had one strong enough to see Saturn though."

"It's quite the sight. The ringed planet. Named for Saturnus by the Romans, or Cronus if you were Greek."

"When I see it, it's weird. It makes it more real. Not just something in books. Another planet that's just far away."

"You know what's even weirder? The light reaching us now is more than an hour old. When we look, it's actually the way Saturn looked in the past. I'd have to check my notes to see exact calculations."

"Really? So, Saturn's light could have gone out fifteen minutes ago..."

Augie nodded. "And we wouldn't know it. It's like looking back through time."

"Wow." Rapunzel kept her eye glued to the eyepiece. "And the stars are even farther away."

"Oh, yes, that's why I keep looking. I've already catalogued the sky, but there always new things happening. Up there, our future and past is happening at the same time."

It reminded Rapunzel of lives on Earth. Some winked out before anyone could notice, and some burned bright and hot. Some lasted after the star had gone out. And some came and went without anyone noticing.

Rapunzel looked up from the eyepiece. "Mr. Augie, can I ask you something?"

"Please do. I'm always happy to have anyone come visit. Except the maid."

Rapunzel smiled. "Do you think Elsa was a good queen?"

Augie nodded without hesitation. "Of course. I've seen three generations of her family take the throne. And never has there been one more prim and proper than Elsa. Almost to a fault. Pity her reign was so short. She spent most of her time helping Arendelle out of the mess she created by accident. But she did it. And I bet she could have gone further."

"I heard she spent all her education learning how to be a queen," Rapunzel said. "And Anna didn't?"

"Well..." Augie scratched the back of his head. "They were two very different people. It was almost a guarantee--if Elsa was practicing her lessons, Anna was off somewhere. Elsa studied politics, Anna rode her pony. Elsa conjugated Latin verbs, Anna climbed trees. The most intellectuality I've seen from her was figuring out how to arrange cushions so she could jump into them from the second story walkway."

Rapunzel pressed down a giggle. "That really happened?"

"The king and queen were furious with that one. They tried to teach her the particulars of royalty, but I guess at some point, they just... gave up. Elsa was the heir-apparent. So they decided to concentrate more on her than Anna." Augie waved his hand. "Not that she was a lost cause. Just... well, we only get so much time in this world."

Rapunzel swallowed. "So, if Anna had to take the throne, would Arendelle be in trouble?"

Augie shrugged. "Not at all. She's noble, loyal, optimistic, and stubborn to a fault. The only thing she lacks is the base education. And if you put someone's feet to the fire, they learn eventually."

"Yeah." Rapunzel hung over the cylinder of the telescope and sighed. "But you end up with burnt feet."

Rapunzel returned to her room. In a few hours, morning came. Rapunzel wasn't sure if she ever went to sleep or not. She kept staring into the window, waiting to see sunlight. But all of a sudden, it was day.

Assistants entered her room on her permission. They set to work, preparing her dress, her washing. Someone even curled Pascal's tail. Twenty men and women spread out her hair in a flat coil.

"Oh, no, you don't have to..." Rapunzel started.

"No problem, your highness. We can't have you wasting the day brushing your hair. There's too much to get done."

They distributed themselves around the spiral, taking stations at different points, and brushed. And brushed. And brushed. And brushed. When she was ready for breakfast, the entourage practically carried her through the castle. But in the dining room, they all disappeared. She ate alone.

Pascal crawled out next to the bowl of oatmeal and placed a small cold paw on hers.

"I know, Pascal. What am I supposed to do? I don't know if I'm ready to rule an entire country. I've only been in the real world for a year. What would my mother and father say?"

Pascal churred.

"If I say no, I might be dooming this kingdom. Well, maybe not dooming. It's not like it would collapse, but I don't know if it would ever flourish. But if I say yes, I'd be hurting someone I love. Someone who's already been hurt so much."

Pascal nodded.

"How would I even ask her? 'Hey, Anna, you don't seem so up to the job, so do you think I could be queen, instead?' Forget about any birthright or loyalty." Rapunzel gasped. "I might cause a civil war."

Rapunzel held her head in her hands. Pascal nuzzled her forearm.

"There could be a civil war any way. They don't think she has any ability to be a queen, even though they never gave her a chance. But they're not going to be happy anyway. Given the past two years, plus an inexperienced ruler on the throne, this country could get ugly fast. I don't know if the people can be that patient. What do you think?"

Pascal shrugged. He didn't know any better than she.

"Thanks, buddy."

Rapunzel finished her oatmeal and juice. When the servants came in to clear away the dishes, she told Kai, "Is it possible to gather all the councilors and advisors and... and anyone else of note this morning?"

"Of course, your highness. You have the power to call a session whenever you want. Of course, I'm not sure how quickly we can gather them all."

"The more, the better. I have to make an announcement."

"I will send the pages and assemble the trumpeters."

"No," Rapunzel shouted. "No fanfare. No pomp and circumstance. It's... it's too serious for that. I don't want anyone to think I'm... I'm making a decision because I want to. But because I have to."

Kai's brows knit in confusion, but he left straight away. In an hour, confused sleepy-eyed men and women filled the throne room. Rapunzel recognized a few from personal conversations. Others had to be land barons, lords, dukes, or other aristocrats with their fingers in the government cookie jar. They spoke in hushed tones among their groups of three and four, wondering why they were called. Unannounced meetings usually spilled bad news.

Before Rapunzel entered the chambers, she took a deep breath.

"Announcing, her royal highness, Princess Rapunzel of Corona."

The crowd clapped. Rapunzel hesitated before the throne, deciding whether to sit or stand. This could take a while, but every tiny action would be scrutinized after this. And too much time had passed--now it looked awkward.

She turned around. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on short notice. I have to make an announcement. I know these past few days have been trying. And there's been no sign that it's going to get any easier. There's..." She sighed. "This is going to sound bad."

Rapunzel took a deep breath.

The door to the chambers burst open. Anna stood at the doorway, arms spread. "She's alive! Elsa's alive! I know she is."

Anna looked like a crazy woman with her red eyes and dirty dress, breathing heavily, arms across the door frame.

"How do you know she's still alive?" Rapunzel asked.

"Because Olaf is!"

Anna stepped aside and let Olaf enter the room. He waddled in, waving his twig arm. "Hi everybody. Gosh, this room gets bigger every time I see it."

"Huh?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna darted forward, grinning. She grabbed Rapunzel's hands and danced around the room, singing "Olaf's alive, Olaf's alive, Olaf's alive."

"Wait, wait," Rapunzel said. "What does Olaf have to do with it?"

"It came to me in a dream," Anna squealed. "Olaf was made from Elsa's will. She created him when she was happy."

"And look!" Olaf waved his hands over his head. "My flurry is still going. Isn't that great?"

"I... don't understand," Rapunzel said.

"If she was dead, he would have winked out or something. Like, disappeared. Or melted. Turned into an ordinary snowman."

"Yep. And I feel great!" Olaf jumped in the air, kicking his little legs.

Rapunzel stood back, contemplating this. If Elsa was dead, that meant she had could create life from nothingness. Only a divine being could have that power, and Elsa was born as a mortal woman. The further she took the idea, the more ridiculous it became.

Before she had the chance to think it through, Anna raised an authoritative finger. "Prepare all the ships. Every last one. Fishing boats, tug boats, row boats. We're making a search party. We'll head where Elsa was last seen and spread out. Someone knows how to organize that, right?"

"I... I think we can find someone," Kai sputtered.

"Good. I'll change clothes. Let's go find Elsa." Anna pumped a fist in the air.

"Yeah," Olaf followed Anna out of the room. "Let's go find Elsa!"

* * *

Elsa had an instant to decide what to do.

She narrowed her eyes, giving Captain Ridley her most fearsome scowl. "Then you'll have to imprison us. We may be under your capture, but I am under NO obligation to answer to the likes of you."

"I don't-"

"Either imprison us or release us now, you derelict. And don't point that thing at me." She slapped the trident aside.

A rough wave hit the ship. Ridley's boot heel planted on the patch of ice. He kicked out and fell butt-first onto the deck.

The crew burst out laughing. The smart ones shut up, but the peons couldn't stop chortling, doubled over, slapping their knees.

Ridley jumped up to his feet. "Shut up! Shut up or I'll keel haul all of you. You think I won't? You think another crew of worthless dogs wouldn't jump at the chance to serve under me?"

He hefted the trident and approached Elsa. "On this ship, your royal blood means absolute zero. So if you think of talking back to me again..."

With a deft motion, he swiped the trident an inch from her neck. Elsa stayed steadfast, even as the metal point rushed past.

"The brig it is, ladies," Ridley announced. Two crewmen with lusty faces and wagging tongues moved to intercept. Ridley blocked their progress with the trident. "No harm to them 'til we make our demands. People don't pay for damaged goods."

The two men grabbed their wrists and shoved them down the lowest deck, thick with the smell of mud and mold. They could feel the ship rocking back and forth, but not see it, which didn't help their vertigo.

One held a metal barred door open. "Get in there," the other said. He tossed them in.

Elsa kept her balance, but Ariel fell to the ground.

While the first pirate made a show of locking the door, the other poked in his head. "You better give up some names quick-like. Men'll not hold out long with two women aboard." He grinned, showing his lack of teeth. "Maybe not even for the night." They walked back up to the main deck, laughing.

Elsa shook the bars. She turned back to Ariel. "Are you all right?"

Ariel was still biting her lip, chin trembling. At last, she let out an awful howl of pain as she gripped her stomach. Elsa dropped to her side.

"My legs," Ariel said. "They're- grrr..."

_Just in time_ , Elsa thought to herself. She lifted Ariel's dress part way up. Her undergarments slipped down her legs as the flesh of her legs sealed. The feet molded into one globulate. Then shimmering scales popped up through the skin, darkening the pinkness to emerald. The toes spread into a translucent fluke.

Elsa and Ariel braced themselves on each other's shoulders. "It's almost over," Elsa said. Only fifteen or thirty seconds had passed, but it felt like forever.

Finally, Ariel relaxed. She took a deep breath. "I'm all right now. It burns like fire. Not just the legs either. It's back pains. My whole body feels like it wants to curl up into a ball and die."

"Sounds like cramps," Elsa smiled. She leaned Ariel against the wall. The dress covered her tail except for the tissue-thin fluke sticking out.

Once Ariel had caught her breath, she asked, "Can you freeze the bars? Would that make them break?"

Elsa gripped one hand around the cold metal. She had broken through a prison before, but that terrible incident was too intense to remember how. She was so emotional and out of control. "If I could, where we even go?"

"Somewhere. Anywhere. We need to think of something. I've got to get that trident back. If he knew how to use it, he could take out a fleet. Can you-"

"Please," Elsa interrupted. "Stop. Talking. I need a few moments."

Her tone was so sharp, so mother-like, Ariel clammed up. "Sorry, I just-"

"Did you see what happened out there? That little outburst wasn't acting. I panicked. I had all this tension and anger and fear inside me. And bad things happen when I do that."

"But you were trying to make him put us in here. So he wouldn't see-"

"We got lucky. If I had more time, I could have done something smarter, but I... the more I keep it suppressed, the more powerful it gets. I could have frozen everyone, including you. Maybe the whole ship could have gone down. Again. Now leave me alone."

_I wish Eric was here_ , she thought.

Elsa sat in the other corner of the cell, taking deep breaths to stop her hands from shaking. As much as she wanted to comfort Ariel, she had to regain control before she froze the entire boat. If the captain saw her ice powers, he would know right away who she was.

At home, she would have her desk and her graph paper. She imagined herself sitting there, drawing out squares, triangles, and circles. Making up math equations to calculate their circumference, area, ratios. Designing never-ending fractals and artistic spirals helped her find focus. When she could place her finger in one of the nearby pools of scum water, she knew she was calm again.

Elsa noticed Ariel squirming.

"How long can you last without water?" Elsa asked.

"I don't know," Ariel said. "It's not too painful yet. Just itchy."

"Do you think you can last the night?"

"I hope so."

Above their heads, footsteps clanged on the creaking wood. "Someone's coming down," Elsa said.

Ariel tried to hide pull down her dress, but it was too short to hide her tail. Elsa looked for something to cover it with. As the door opened, she sat down on the Ariel's fluke. The mermaid winced.

"Sorry," Elsa whispered.

A galley slave entered first, holding a cooking pan. Then Ridley, still holding the trident. He smelled of cologne. His hair was brushed and his coat free of lint.

"M'ladies. I trust you've made yourselves comfortable," Ridley said.

Ariel scoffed. She crossed her arms and looked away.

"You don't have to stay here, by any means. Just tell me who to ask for a ransom."

"No one. We're not important enough," Elsa said.

"Oh, come now. Don't be modest. Tell me and I'll let you out. You don't have to spend your trip in that cell. You can stay in my quarters."

"And where would you sleep?" Elsa asked.

The captain laughed. "I didn't say _I_ was giving them up."

"No thanks," Elsa said.

Ridley nodded to his companion. The galley slave shoved the pan under a gap in the bars. Half its food spilled out.

"I feel I've been more than generous to you ladies. And you've returned nothing but insolence. These bars," he tapped two of them, "may end up being your home for a long time. That is your day's meal. If I think of it, you may be fed tomorrow as well. That is your privy." Ridley nodded to a dented bucket in a corner.

Elsa pulled it toward her and looked in. "There's a hole in it."

"Course there is. That's where you put your business." The galley slave laughed wheezingly.

Elsa scrunched her nose. "No, a hole at the bottom." She held it up.

"Oh, a thousand pardons, milady. The town's blacksmith must be made aware. Not more than a mile's walk. I'll bring it right back, good as new," Ridley said.

"You think we get any better? Cap'n's don' gotta share his chamber pot with nobody," the galley-man added.

Ridley sniffed, as if he smelled a foul aroma. "Keep tonight in mind. Because if you aren't important enough to get a ransom, then you may not have a tomorrow."

As they walked back up, Ridley said to his crewman, "Check if the fish barrels have turned sour. It smells wretched down here."

Elsa shifted off Ariel's tail and leaned up against the coarse bars. Neither of them touched the gruel. It smelled too much like disgorged whale contents.

Hours passed. The moon rose, bathing them in its light.

"Are you asleep?" Elsa asked.

"No, are you?" Ariel replied. "I mean- sorry, stupid question."

Ariel shifted over to sit next to Elsa, no matter how dry and scaly her tail was feeling.

"I wish I was home. In my room," Elsa whispered.

"We'll find a way out of here. I've been trapped or locked up plenty of times. Seems to always happen when I'm exploring. Being a princess of the sea king doesn't help."

Elsa sniffled. "How do you get out?"

"I don't know. My friends came to rescue me a lot of times."

Elsa laughed. "I don't think that's happening. No one even knows where I am." She bowed her head into her knees.

"Then we'll just have to do it ourselves." Ariel looked around their cell. Steel rivets kept the bars bolted into the ceiling. The wood, soggy as it was, hadn't rotted enough to give way. Plus it was too flexible to shatter from cold. But she had been in stronger cells--ones made of nothing but coral or rock or someone's belly.

Remembering old adventures brought something up in her mind. "We could try the old 'one of us is sick' routine," Ariel said.

Elsa raised her head. "Is that what we want? Someone coming in with you like this?" She gestured to Ariel's lower half.

"Maybe that could be our angle. 'Help, my legs feel funny.'"

Both the women giggled. "Doesn't really give him a reason to open the door. He can see your legs from here."

"Maybe that's what we do. Wait until he's looking close and then _bam_."

"Just as likely he runs up to get the captain. We need to give him a reason to open the door."

Ariel stared up. "Hmm. Do we have anything he would have to take out or put in? Something that has to be-" Ariel's bright blue eyes widened. "Oh, I got it."

She leaned into Elsa and whispered her plan. It sounded risky, but escaping from pirates always was. The two of them arranged themselves properly--viewpoint would be key. Ariel positioned herself so her feet pointed at the door. Then she splayed her arms and lay flat, her tail disguised under the ruffles.

"Guard!" Elsa said in her most commanding voice. "Guard! Anyone! Come down here!"

The door clanged open and a patroller hobbled down, holding out his lantern. "Wot? Wot? This better be good. I'm only comin' in this once." He stopped when he saw Ariel's still body. "Don't think I'm falling for that."

"It's not that. There's something wrong with her legs." Elsa held up her hand, shiny with scales and dry tissue.

"What the bloody hell..." the lackey muttered. He gave Elsa a sidelong glance. "Pull up her skirt. Lemme see."

Elsa held up her hands in surrender. "I shall not violate my friend in any such uncouth manner. Furthermore, I will not touch her skin. If she has some kind of communicable disease..."

"Fine. Fine. Stand back. Against the corner."

Elsa huddled in the corner, twice an arm's reach away. The lackey fetched a key out from his sash.

He opened the door, but did not step in. Instead, he took up a nearby stick at the mention of "disease" Then he stepped inside the door frame and used it to pry away the layers of petticoat.

Ariel doubled up and thrust her tail into his stomach. From a limb that was all muscle, he soared past the door and against the wall. He fell unconscious as he slid into a collection of broken barrels.

"Do you think anyone heard that?" Ariel asked.

"Doesn't matter," Elsa said. She dragged him into the cell as Ariel crawled out. The mermaid winced and flipped herself over. Her tail had turned the sickly pale of a wilted leaf. In the middle was a break, leaking clear fluid. _That can't be good_ , she thought.

Elsa swept her up and carried her up the stairs. "Look for a lifeboat. If we can get off without anyone seeing, we-"

"Shh." Ariel pointed to a glowing light behind a pylon. Elsa held her breath and edged along the side rail. Near the prow, she spotted a winch for a lifeboat. She sidled behind a large wooden box. The mermaid glanced back and gave a little yelp.

A guard stood behind them, wild eyes and scraggly beard. He held up a lantern with one hand, and with the other, a large bell.

"If you give us a taste, I won't say nothing," he said in a sinister whisper.

Elsa stood up straight, hands on her hips. "I'd rather you ring the bell."

"Fair enough." He whacked the bell in the air. "Escape! Escape!"

The ship shook with the sudden rumble of footsteps.

"Just use your power," Ariel shouted.

"I can't-"

A pirate rushed at them, reaching his arms out. Ariel snapped her tail too fast for him to see what hit him. He collapsed, gasping for breath. But more footfalls were on their way.

Elsa approached the edge of the boat. Ariel started wriggling. "What are you doing?"

"Dropping you in," Elsa said.

"No! I'm not leaving!" Ariel yelled.

"I'll be fine. You go for help." Elsa said.

"I can't leave. Don't drop me. Don't-"

Elsa lifted her over the side. Ariel tried to grab for her but it was too late.

"One overboard!" someone shouted.

Elsa sprinted for front of the ship, pushing men aside. Even if Ariel found help, Elsa would have to face the wrath for escaping the cell.

When she reached the prow, she turned back to see the entire pirate crew surrounding her. Glowing eyes and cutlass-filled hands moved in.

Visions filled Elsa's brain. Men rushing into her ice palace. Swords and crossbows. Deadly icicles flying. Sliding barriers that shoved people toward oblivion. Orange light. The chandelier falling.

Crewmen stood aside as Ridley walked forward, his boots announcing his presence. He was still holding the blasted trident, as if it were a favorite teddy bear.

"You interrupted my bath." He smirked. "Can't say I didn't expect an attempt. I just can't believe you got this far."

"You have no idea what forces you're dealing with. Surrender yourselves immediately. Or I will use my power."

Captain Ridley snickered. "What power?"

Elsa raised her arms. "Do you not know what they call me? I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. The snow queen."

Ridley's eyebrows raised. Elsa wasn't sure he was buying it. But the others had stopped moving forward. Pirates were a superstitious lot. She could pour it on thicker.

"I am an all-powerful ice demon. Cursed from birth, generations ago, by the full moon. A curse which freezes the very soul to iron," Elsa said. "I have singlehandedly frozen the entirety of my kingdom, wiping out livestock, dooming peasants to starvation when they would not pay me their due. How I laughed as I watched them from my castle in the mountains. The castle I formed in seconds with nothing but my two hands, from the ice-"

From somewhere in the crowd, a rock flew out. It struck Elsa in her upper forehead. She staggered back as a tiny trickle blood ran down her face, then collapsed against the deck.

One of the pirates held up a slingshot. "Good one, Thurby. That's how you take care of a mouthy wench who don't know her place," Ridley said. Others laughed and nodded.

Ridley approached the fallen queen, smirking. Elsa swore his eyes gleamed with gold for a half-second before everything went black.

"Tie her up tight. Arms and legs like a trussed pig. And return her... no, bring her in my quarters. I'll show her exactly what power is."

Ridley began to stalk back to the other end of the ship. The boat rumbled as the floorboards quaked beneath their feet.

"What was that?" someone said. "Big wave?"

"No," Ridley said. Waves didn't make the ship quiver. Then it happened again. The crew listed the other way.

"Tis a whale, cap'n," one of the boatswains said, looking over the starboard side.

"Here too," said one looking port. "Pounding the boat."

"What the devil?" Ridley said. "Find the harpoons. Drive them back-"

Sprays of water from the whales' spouts launched dozens of marine animals onto the deck--starfish, dolphins, seals. They assaulted the first pink flesh they saw. Lobsters dive-bombed them, pinching ears, noses, heels, and crotches. Pufferfish ballooned at the shadow of a boot, becoming sea mines.

"The sea's gone mad! It's the devil!" someone shouted in the chaos.

Thurby showed Ridley a tiny blue-ringed octopus on his arm. "It's not all bad. Look, captain. This one's kinda cute..." His voice slurred as he dropped to the deck.

Ridley dodged the sea's droppings, batting them with the trident. Crewmen stumbled about, pulling sea cucumbers out of their pants or hermit crabs from their ears. He was about to bark orders when a manta ray fell on his head, draping him like a blanket.

Someone shouted, "M- man the lifeboats! All hands escape!" The crew scattered, running with no rhyme or reason. Some dived into the ocean in a panic. The man in the crow's nest slid down the ladder, lost his grip, and fell into the water.

Ridley pulled the fleshy ray off, avoiding the spined tail, and marched toward the front of the deck. Crewmen disappeared by the second.

"Faster! Faster! They've been signaled!" one of the pirates shouted. Pulleys squealed as dinghies full of men dropped into the sea.

Ridley stood in front of the prow, prepared to call his men to him. But before he could, and ear-breaking swoosh sounded. A whale's spout erupted in front of the boat, along with a fine spray of water. The red-headed one--Ariel--rode the spout up, like an Arabian queen.

"By the gods," Ridley uttered, seeing her true form. An eel wrapped around his eyes like a blindfold. A chitinous claw pinched his hand, making him drop the trident.

Ariel's eyes lit up at seeing the trident loose. She steeled her reserve and dove onto the deck. Ridley ripped away the eel to see her crawling toward the weapon.

They both reached it at the same time. She grabbed the bottom and yanked. Ridley dropped to the deck stomach first.

"Let go!" he yelled.

"Give me back my trident!"

They tugged back and forth, until Ridley regained his feet. With the added leverage, Ariel lost her grip.

"Ha ha." Ridley held his prize in triumph. "No mermaid's going to overpower me."

Ariel scowled. "I am not just a mermaid," she said. "I am the ruler of the merpeople."

The ship bounced heaved backward, shoved by a giant mass of humpback whale. Ridley fell forward. Ariel scrunched up her tail and jabbed him in the gut. Ridley's cheeks puffed as the air rushed out of him.

"And that is my trident," she said, taking it from his loose grip.

The trident hummed magically, glowing bright yellow. Ridley's eyes narrowed.

Ariel shot a lightning bolt at Ridley's feet, propelling him into the air. A faint wisp of smoke trailed as he careened into the night sky. He fell past the boat, followed by a splash.

Now, the front deck was abandoned. Ariel crawled to Elsa's body. On her forehead was a dark and bloody welt that wasn't there before, but she was still breathing. Ariel held her upright.

Elsa stirred and coughed. "What happened?"

Ariel grinned. "I scared them off. Even without the trident, I still have plenty of friends under the sea. They all jumped on bored and helped scare them into the lifeboats. But I think... I think we're the only ones on board."

"We are?"

Elsa grabbed the railing and struggled to her feet. She squinted into the darkness, though woozy, but there was nothing to see. Perhaps a pirate's voice or two in the middle of the gentle thrushing.

"Wait, what's that?" Ariel picked up a telescope discarded on the ground and looked to the rear of the boat. Under the shroud of starlight, a single ship slithered into view.

Then two to its side.

Then four.

Twenty-five massive galleons, schooners, and clippers were rushing toward them. Ariel dropped the telescope. "Mother of pearl. That must be a king's navy."

Elsa gestured for the scope and Ariel gave it to her. She adjusted the focus, searching for the lead ship. Someone was standing on its prow, front and center. Someone with twin braids and red hair.

Elsa couldn't believe it. It was Anna. Then she caught the pattern on the sail.

"More like a queen's navy. They're Arendelle ships."

Elsa thrust her hand in the air. A bright cyan light shot up over the boat, then a gentle flurry descended. Elsa returned to her telescope.

Anna watched the light, not quite understanding. Then realization set in and she jumped up and down like an excited goat.

Elsa chuckled. "They'll be here in a little bit."

Ariel beamed. Then gasped. "They can't see me like this. If people know there's mermaids out there, they'd come searching for us. It would destroy our kingdom."

"Go back in the water. You can follow the ship back to Arendelle."

Ariel poked her head through the railings. "They're watching us right now. They'll see if I go overboard."

Elsa tapped a finger on the telescope. She was right. "You can't stay here. They're going to pull alongside us. They'll insist on bringing over some men... Wait a minute. The captain said he was taking a bath."

Elsa walked across deck and poked her head into the captain's quarters. "Perfect. There's a tub of water in there. I'll just tell everyone my sick friend is in there."

"You sure they won't try to come in?" Ariel asked as picked her up.

"No one's going to disobey a queen."

The "bath" was just a metal washtub barely big enough to sit an adult. If was a luxury for captains, Elsa shuddered to think how the rest of the crew cleaned themselves. The water wasn't even fresh. It smelled of brine from a night's ocean. Perfect for a mermaid though.

Ariel had to curl her tail around the tub's perimeter. "Thanks. This should be just right."

Elsa nodded. "Once we're back in Arendelle, I'll come get you."

"Then we can all start working on why this all happened."

Elsa shut the door and returned to the deck. Anna's ship had pulled close enough to see each other without a telescope.

"Elsa! Elsa!" Anna yelled, jumping up and down. "You're alive! I knew it!"

"I knew it too!" Olaf said, appearing over the rails.

"Is Arendelle all right?" Elsa called out.

"Arendelle's fine! It's great. You'll never believe who came after you left. It-" One of the crewmen pulled Anna aside and spoke to her. "Elsa! They're going to send some men aboard! Just hang on!"

A contingent of Arendelle's navy set to unmooring ropes. When Anna's ship was close enough, they swung over and dismounted. After assembling in front of Elsa, the second lieutenant stepped forward. "Lieutenant Handel from the vessel _Raskskip_."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm not sure what this ship's name is, but it's a pirate vessel. Or it used to be."

"You... commandeered this ship from them?"

"Yes," Elsa said, pleased. "Most of them are in the water now, and should be rounded up."

"Understood. We should also search the ship to make sure there aren't any remaining pirates on board."

"Yes... oh, except-" Elsa stammered. "There is a very important friend of mine resting in the captain's quarters. She is..." Elsa stifled a giggle. "She is seasick and not to be disturbed until we make landfall. At all. Only I may go in there. Do you understand?"

"I will inform the men." Handel listed the orders to a nearby assistant who rushed off to relay the message to the other ships. Elsa smiled with pride.

Handel said, "With your permission, I can take command now."

Elsa was about to say "yes", but something stopped her. "Er, not just yet. I captured this vessel, after all. I'm not quite ready to give it up."

Handel looked confused. "Er, yes, of course. But-"

"I had time to read about sailing and I'd like to try it out for myself. Of course, I'll need your help to guide me."

"But, your majesty, you are the queen. Sailing a ship is beneath you. It's hard, dirty work..."

Elsa scowled.

"But, of course, whatever your majesty wishes. Let's start by changing into the right direction." Handel pointed to the steering column on the forecastle. The others began scattering around the deck, rigging ropes and haul anchor.

"How long do you think it will take to get back to Arendelle?" Elsa asked.

"Oh, if the wind treats us right, we'll be there a little after sunrise, I should think."

"Excellent," Elsa said.


	12. All Hail the Queen

Kai approached Rapunzel. "Madame, there is a small group of citizens clustered near the gates. They say they have urgent business."

Rapunzel looked away from the council minutes she had been reading and swallowed the dry bread in her throat. "This early in the morning?"

"They've been gathering throughout the night. Some of them are Arendelle's most prominent city leaders. Blacksmiths, innkeepers, priests, a few barons."

"They're not angry, are they?"

"Not at all. All they asked for was an audience with you. There's only a dozen or so."

"Okay, I'll see what they want."

Kai escorted Rapunzel to the boundary of the opened castle gates. A group of about ten or so men stood milling about. True to Kai's word, they were well-clothed and stood righteously.

One with white bushy hair and a lean figure stepped forward. "Princess Rapunzel?"

"Yes," she said, a little irritated. How could anyone mistake her at this point?

"My name is Pontus Dorathson, owner of the lumber mill. Sorry I haven't had a chance to make your acquaintance yet. I'm representing a much larger group of citizens. The lot of us have spent the last few days asking people to sign this petition." He held up a scroll.

"Petition for what?" Rapunzel asked.

"To make you our queen."

Rapunzel startled. "Princess Anna is your queen."

"She's not queen until a proper coronation. And as I understand it, you've been acting in her stead."

"She's in mourning for her sister."

Another barrel-bodied man, maybe a butcher, spoke up. "We've had a taste of her kind of rule and we don't like it. It's disorganized, indecisive, forgetful-"

"She makes decisions without thinking them through," another one piped up.

Rapunzel scowled. "You have no idea who Anna is. She's valiant, cheerful. She's bold and fearless."

"You say bold, I say stubborn," Pontus said. "Absolutely nothing was accomplished during her rule. In fact, Queen Elsa had to redo much of her work to avoid certain mistakes. But you? People are enthralled with you. They say you're kind and generous and efficient."

"Everyone loves you," the butcher piped up again.

"I've only been here a few days," Rapunzel said.

"And look at how much you've done in a few days. Look at how you've affected people around you. I've seen it myself. Even with this dreary weather they're more joyful than ever."

"I'm not as practiced as I look. I'm klutzy, naïve. I get distracted easily. I'm always daydreaming. Besides, it's Anna's right to rule. She's the princess of Arendelle and I have my own kingdom--Corona."

"Exactly. That's what the petition says." Pontus unfurled it. "We'd like Corona to annex Arendelle. We'd become part of your kingdom and you could be installed as ruler. The whole town's behind it. I couldn't find anyone who wouldn't sign."

Pontus stepped forward, forcing her to take the petition. It had a lot of signatures. Even on the back.

"That's over eight-five percent of Arendelle right there," Pontus said. "Citizen support is not going to be a problem, I guarantee that."

"We'll back you the whole way," said the barrel-bodied man.

Rapunzel scanned the petition. Pontus and his group didn't look like they were going to leave until they got a response.

"Can I have some time to think about it?" Rapunzel asked.

"Of course, it's very late," Pontus said. "Just ask any of us if you need some help. We're with you all the way."

The group of "concerned citizens" turned around and left, with some shifting of the guards to encourage them. Even without a "no", they still weren't willing to accept defeat. Rapunzel took a deep breath as they walked away.

She returned to the castle and found Anna's room. She was sound asleep, no longer sprawled out on the covers, but tucked in. Olaf lay next to her, slumped against the dresser and dozing. Rapunzel brushed a sprig of hair from Anna's eyes.

The proper queen looked at peace, while Rapunzel had a storm inside her. She'd have to know about this petition. But how could she ever tell Anna that her own people didn't want her? That her own cousin, who'd only arrived a few days ago, had swept the kingdom out from under her.

She didn't mean to do it. But denying an entire city's desire for change would result in some unhappy citizens. And they still didn't have a proper answer yet. How was she supposed to respond to such a proposal?

And the worst part about it? Rapunzel was afraid she might say yes.

* * *

Elsa shouted down into the galley. "Captain! Captain! We have a big problem." Her eyes never tore from the pirate ship.

Ariel took a different route. "We can help. Come on." She ran into their quarters.

"Ariel, wait!" Elsa ran after her.

Ariel reached for the canvas tarp next to her bed. Elsa grabbed her hands. "If you bring out your trident and start doing magic, it'll expose us."

Ariel stiffened. "If you would just explain-"

"They don't listen. They never listen. I gave them a fake name for a reason," Elsa said. "If they knew who I am, they'd become afraid of me."

"No, they wouldn't. You could help protect the ship."

"Don't you remember? The last ship I was on capsized _because_ of my ice powers. Do you know what they call me in my kingdom? The snow queen."

"What's wrong with that? Sounds kinda nice," Ariel shrugged.

"It's not nice. It means they think I'm cold and emotionless. Well, I'm not. I'm deathly scared right now. It's taking all my concentration not to start growing icicles."

Gunhild emerged from the below deck and spotted the problem right away. "Pirates." The captain pounded one fist into the other. "Men!"

Gunhild's men crowded out through the hatch. "Ridley Havenstock's ship, I think. Blast, I thought they'd left these waters."

"Maybe they're after you two?" Gunhild suggested.

"I don't see how. No one knows where we are. That's why we had to get back to Arendelle," Elsa said. "What do we do?"

"Prepare to be boarded. The wind speed is theirs. They're approaching at ten times the knots this ship can muster. If they don't know you're here, all they're after is wealth or supplies," Gunhild said.

"We need to hide. Do you have any secret compartments?" Ariel asked.

"The hold, captain," Cookie said.

"Right. They won't look there. Follow me." Gunhild walked across deck to a large square door. Cookie and Hagar untwisted a lock, revealing a ladder into a cavernous cargo hold. The pungence of salt and blood smacked their noses.

"Apologies for the smell," Gunhild said.

"At least no one will look for us here," Elsa said, wrinkling her nose. "No one would want to."

They descended fast, Ariel still holding her wrapped trident. It felt like a crypt--a mausoleum for dead fish.

"Tuck yourselves into the bow. Try to stay out of sight." Gunhild shut the door with little light except for what trickled in from the slats above.

Elsa paced back and forth, taking deep breaths. At times like this, she missed the constricting feel of her gloves. Her worst fear was that someone would look inside and see the hold coated in thick crusty frost like a freezer.

Ariel's eyes adjusted to the dim light, inviting a wealth of horror: a fish's gouged out eye, a disembodied lobster claw in the middle of the floor, glistening scales and shredded fins, the top half of a crab's carapace. Ariel's breath quickened.

"Elsa..." Ariel mouthed.

Three heavy foot stomps interrupted them. A warning. This was followed by snapping ropes and shouts.

Something metal banged against the side of the ship. A cannonball? No. Something had jammed itself into the railing. A wide shadow passed over them--the pirate's ship sail.

Elsa and Ariel backed further into the hold, to the cramped bow where the walls convexed around them. It was their best chance, to stay hidden in the dark.

"It's right next to us." Ariel and Elsa slid down to the floor, arms wrapped around each other.

Silhouettes suddenly appeared above them, swung over on ropes. The hold boomed as their heavy boots landed on deck.

"This," someone announced with a dramatic flair, "is what we call a raiding party. Everyone cooperates, no one gets hurt." His boots were thin and black with pronounced heels.

"This is a fishing boat. We've got nothing," Gunhild's voice said.

"We'll be the judge of that," the pirate captain said. "Every ship's got its secrets."

"We don't even have a catch yet. We've got less than nothing. Most expensive stuff is in our larders."

"Then that's what we'll be taking. It's good to pillage the small ships every once in a while. Keeps the big ships confused and guessing. Keeps the fear in you folk."

They heard people walking around on deck, opening doors, making threats. The pirates had started their search. Footsteps descended into the cabins.

Ariel started trembling. Elsa touched her cheek. Was her cold spreading? No, it was from fear.

"Shh, it's okay," Elsa whispered. She had to forget about controlling herself right now and help someone else.

"There's nothing here for you," Gunhild announced. "Just hurry up and search so you can go."

A pause. "That's the sort of thing someone hiding something would say," Ridley said. He began patrolling the deck, as if waiting for something to appear.

Ariel began to whimper. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Shh, stay quiet,." Elsa said.

"I can't," Ariel said. "There's so much death here."

"Just close your eyes."

"It doesn't work. I can still smell it. My hand." She jerked her hand from the floor. "It's like the floor's coated in blood. I can still feel it."

Elsa held her close. She hadn't held her sister this close when she was upset. But now she did to protect their lives. Ariel whimpered in sobs.

Ridley's boot steps stopped. Elsa's breath seized. He traipsed to the other side and halted. Something clicked. Nothing happened for a span that seemed to last forever.

The hatch opened. Elsa held Ariel back, trying to shrink further into the darkness.

A pirate lackey bent in, holding a lantern.

"S'two girls down here. Hiding."

"All ships have their secrets," Ridley said to Gunhild. To his lackey, "Bring them out, Charlie."

"Come on, you two," Charlie said.

Elsa and Ariel didn't move.

"Ladies, we already seen ye," he said in a voice raspy with years of shouting over sea water. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Elsa's first instinct was to remain still. Maybe pretending that nothing happened would confuse him. Then she became aware of her quick heartbeat, her trembling fingertips. Much more and she'd lose it. Maybe the seat below was already tinged with fractals of frost.

She sighed and stood, trying to act regal. Ariel followed her to the ladder.

"Well, look at these lovely two," the pirate captain said as they emerged into the sunlight. He wore a crimson coat with gold lining and black boots. One hand rested on the rapier in his belt.

"Quite a catch, eh?" Charlie said in a cockney accent. "Be a hell of a fish story, in'it?"

_Daddy always said I'd wind up on some fish-eater's hook_ , Ariel thought. _I don't think this is what he meant though._

"Entertainment for the crew?" Ridley asked Gunhild.

"Passengers," Gunhild replied.

Ridley laughed. "You take on passengers and the best you can give them is the hold? With the stink of fish guts?" Ridley threw back his head and laughed. His crew copied.

"They _were_ staying in _my_ quarters," Gunhild said, emphasizing each word.

Ridley pulled Elsa's right hand up. "Soft as silk. Nobility, me lads. Take off your caps." He took off his large tricorne hat and bowed his head. "If you'll accompany me onto my humble vessel, I can assure you much better accommodations. And if you didn't understand the implication, this is not an offer you can refuse."

"I'll not have it." Gunhild stepped closer to Ridley, who was taller and leaner. "Take whatever you want from the ship. Take me. But leave them alone."

"No." Elsa put a gentle hand on Gunhild's shoulder. To Ridley, "If you leave them alone, we'll come without a fight."

Ridley's eyes softened.

"Come on, captain, they got nothing for us," Charlie whispered.

Ridley raised his hand. "I know a sound deal when I see it. Don't need you to point it out." To Elsa, "Fine. Agreed. Grab your things and we'll be off."

Ariel hefted the wrapped trident, pretending it was luggage. Two men seized their arms, crooking them into their sweaty elbows. They crossed a plank between the two ships as the remaining crew swung back across. Once aboard, the pirates shoved them forward. They dropped to hands and knees on the scabby, waterlogged wood.

"Easy, easy, lads," Captain Ridley said. "No one pays for damaged merchandise."

The pirates detached their grappling hooks from Gunhild's vessel. Across the gap, Elsa nodded back to the captain, indicating not to worry. In few minutes time, the pirate ship was cruising toward open sea.

"You should know, it's bad luck to have a woman on board," Ariel said.

"I'll take my chances," Ridley said.

"It's true," Elsa said as she rose. "The last ship I was on capsized. That's why I was taking passage with them."

Ridley threw back his head and laughed, as did the crew. He pinched Elsa's chin, raising her eyes to his. "What's your name, lass?"

"Lady Idun."

"Of what house? We're looking for someone who'd pay a pretty ransom for you."

"House? I... I don't know. It's complicated."

"No heirs? No lands? Titles? Come on, don't take me for a fool."

"No one I know would pay for my return. And even if there was," Elsa gritted her teeth. "I wouldn't let them do business with the likes of you."

"You better think of something. Because if there's no one who'll pay for your safe return, you're just an extra mouth to feed. I'll maroon you on the first spit of rock I see. Let the gulls pick your bones."

"Then you wouldn't get your ransom, would you?"

"Hey, get a load of this," said a crewman with dark skin and tattoos. With one quick tug, he took Ariel's precious treasure out of her grasp. It began to unwrap.

Ridley's eyes lit up at the first glint of gold. "Ooh, what have we here?"

"Don't touch that, it's mine," Ariel said.

Ridley held the trident up, tested its heft. "This is quite a big fork for a little lady." The crew laughed. "Though something tells me you're no fisherwoman."

"That is a family heirloom. And it is not yours," Ariel said.

"Everything's mine," Ridley answered. "I just haven't picked up all of it yet."

"You look good with it, Cap'n," a crewman said.

"Don't I though? Like a right proper deity." Ridley paraded up and down the deck like a king having just conquered a nation. The crew bowed and chanted "your majesty" in jest.

Elsa leaned into Ariel. "He can't use the trident, can he?" she whispered.

"Um... no. Except... he can still shoot lightning."

"But he'd have to know how, right?" Elsa asked.

Ariel didn't respond with words, but pointed. "Elsa, look."

The sun had sunk halfway under the water. Elsa's heart raced so hard her chest was starting to hurt.

Ridley stood in front of the two of them, still holding the trident.

"Ladies, welcome aboard. If you can't already tell, whatever title you previously held is now defunct and gone. I am your sole judge, king, and emperor." He swept the trident at them. "Now answer the question or there'll be consequences. And need I remind you, one ransom's as good as two."

Elsa 's fingers trembled and her knees shook. Her throat tightened.

And nothing helped when she glimpsed a furrow of frost creeping out from her feet, heading toward Ridley.


	13. Ice-olation

Elsa, taking guidance from the second lieutenant, successfully docked at Arendelle's bay. The crew cheered as the ship stopped. Dockworkers busied themselves tying up while the crewmen lowered the ramp. Elsa was the first to descend. Land would feel good again.

But before she could set a foot down, Anna tackled her in a hug. "Elsa! Elsa, Elsa, Elsa, oh I missed you."

Olaf snuggled up to her legs. "Oh, sweet giver of life. Mother of us all." He kissed the hem of her skirt.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Anna said.

"I felt the same way. I should never have left. The whole trip's been a big failure. I didn't even think that if I was lost I'd be forcing you on the throne. You probably had a hard enough time as it was."

"Actually, I didn't have to do much at all."

"Even with the ice?"

"You should let me take over more often. It was kind of fun." Anna coughed. "Well, except for the whole 'thinking you died in a shipwreck' part. But otherwise, we've been having a blast."

"We? Did Kristoff help you?" Elsa asked.

"Nope. Guess who's here!"

Anna stepped aside, revealing a woman in a deep purple dress.

Elsa scrunched her nose. Was she supposed to know this woman with long blond hair?Then she considered the face.

"Rapunzel?" Elsa asked.

"Hi Elsa," Rapunzel said with delight. They hugged.

"You look... different. I didn't recognize you."

"It's the haircut," Rapunzel replied.

"To say the least," Elsa said.

"There's actually a story behind it," Anna said. "And it might have something to do with the ice storm."

"Really? Cause I met someone who-" Elsa stopped, realizing she'd forgotten. She turned back to the ramp, just in time to see one of the crewmen approaching the captain's quarters. He knocked. "Madam?"

Elsa's eyes widened. Because of the clouds, she had no idea where the sun was. "No, no! Don't open-"

The crewman pulled open the door. "Oh... oh..."

Elsa tripped up the plank running towards them. "Do not look inside. I order you not-"

Ariel stepped out. Her bare feet preceded her as gracefully as a ballerina. She acknowledged the man with a head nod.

"Crewman. You were under orders not to disturb her," Elsa said.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. You said she was seasick and we'd made landfall, so we just... I just... I'm sorry." He whispered. "She's so beautiful."

"She is a princess," Elsa said. "And you will do well to remember that."

"Yes, ma'am." The red-faced crewman saluted and returned to duties somewhere far from the main deck.

Elsa ran up to Ariel's side. "How did you-"

Ariel nodded at the horizon. "Another close call."

"You're telling me. We'd better find out what this is all about and soon," Elsa said. She accompanied Ariel down the plank to meet her family. Hugs were exchanged all around.

"I love your hair," Rapunzel said to Ariel.

"Thanks. I love yours," she responded.

A coach waited at the end of the dock to take them back to the palace. Anna and Rapunzel sat on one side, dying to hear Elsa's story. The day-to-day of Arendelle's morale wasn't as exciting as pirates and shipwrecks and hermit witches. Elsa left out the part about Ariel's transformation and true nature, but otherwise told the whole thing.

"And now you've got one more ship," Ariel smiled. "Not bad for a day's work."

"Lieutenant Handel said it's the fastest vessel he's ever touched. And efficient--you could sail it with two people. But I think I'll ask the dockyarders to give it a onceover, patch up the holes and repaint. I doubt pirates followed many safety procedures," Elsa said.

Anna jumped in her seat. "Ooh, you should think of a new name for it. Do you know what it was called before?"

"I don't think I want to know," Elsa said. She noticed the feet of all her compatriots were bare. Ariel had a legitimate reason. The family knew of Rapunzel's penchant for barefootedness. And Anna didn't like to wear shoes unless going outside. "How about the _Barefoot Maiden_? Since most of us seem to be so."

Rapunzel laughed. "Ooh, that's great." Anna flexed her pink toes.

The coach passed through the palace gates, past royal servants standing with hands clasped.

"Um, not to sound rude, but will there be food at the castle?" Ariel asked. "I don't think we've eaten since... well, there was that gruel they tried to feed us." Ariel stuck out her tongue.

Anna laughed. When the coachman open the door she stepped out and raised her finger high in the air.

"Listen up," she said. "By royal proclamation, as I'm still queen-regent until Elsa steps out of this coach, I declare that Princess Ariel is a royal guest of the kingdom. And a feast shall be prepared for her and the rest of us. Everything you've got--duck, gravy, pineapple, salads, fresh bread. Ooh!" Anna turned to Ariel. "Have you tried chocolate before? It's delicious." To the servants, "All the chocolate!"

Elsa stepped past Anna. "I'll take mine in my chambers please."

"But... but we're having a feast. A party," Anna said.

"There's a lot of work to do. I've got to catch up on everything I've missed and then figure what there is to do next. It'll take a few hours. But you all have fun." She turned to the assistants. "Gerda, Kai, can you start putting together an itinerary? And summon anyone waiting on urgent business. Time-sensitive by priority."

"Right away, your highness," Kai said.

"It's good to have you back, my queen," Gerda said.

Elsa walked into the palace, the door shutting behind her. Anna turned to Ariel. "Is she okay?"

"Oh yeah," Ariel said. "It's a thing she does."

"A thing?" Anna said.

"I think she just needs to relax after all the adventures we had. If it gets too much, she gets all..." she waved her arms in the air, "frosty."

Anna nodded. "Ooh, that reminds me. The chef just came up with a new thing. Chocolate frosting. You can put it on cakes, muffins, biscuits..."

* * *

"So then we float into the lagoon. It's just about dusk. There's flowers and animals trilling. Romantic music is playing. Fireflies are floating all around us. It's so beautiful. And he still has no idea."

Anna and Rapunzel fell back in laughter, for the umpteenth time during the story.

"I was making eyes at him so hard I thought they were going to fall out of my head. A couple times, I thought he understood. But then he just kept rowing."

"He could guess your name, but had no idea what you wanted?" Rapunzel asked.

"I know!" Ariel said. "But finally, FINALLY, he starts getting the idea. Then he leans forward, and just at the last second, the boat tips over."

Anna and Rapunzel laughed like screaming monkeys.

"How could he be so blind?" Anna asked. "You were the only one in the rowboat. How do men not get stuff like that?"

"I have no idea. But it all worked out, I guess."

"Wait, I got one better," Anna said. "It was Kristoff's birthday, so I wanted to surprise him at work. I went to the lake with the ice workers and I jumped on his back and said hi. Then he turned around and it was this big mustached guy. I was so embarrassed. Everyone's wearing the same parka, with the hood up. How was I supposed to know?"

"Flynn and I went to his orphanage," Rapunzel started. "He wanted to show me where he grew up. One of the kids was really cute, he was buddying up to Flynn. But I guess he used to be a pickpocket. He replaced all the things in his pockets with eggs. Then he went to pull out something, and he was like 'what are all these eggs doing in my pocket?' He just kept pulling out eggs. There was a dozen at his feet. It was hilarious. All the kids were laughing at him."

Gerda walked in, followed by the castle's clerics, each holding an armful of junk. "Princess Anna, here are the documents and books you asked for. Plus the chef whipped up some snacks for you all."

The servants placed maps, ledgers, and documents in the middle of the table. They'd asked for all the information possible about their three respective lands and what they might have in common. In addition, each girl received a dark chocolate cupcake.

"These look fantastic," Rapunzel said.

"Ooh, then you're going to love dinner. Chef's been fixing his specialty--stuffed yams," Gerda said.

Ariel cocked her eyebrow. "Gerda, do you have any relatives south of here? Like in another kingdom?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"No reason. You just reminded me of someone I know."

"Where's Elsa?" Anna asked. "We can't start without her."

"She's in her chambers. The day's taken its toll and she wanted to relax," Gerda said.

"We haven't gotten much sleep," Ariel added.

"I guess we can start without her," Anna shrugged.

"I'll take the map. Ariel, you take the books." Rapunzel pushed the pile of history and magic tomes toward her. "Anna and I already looked through them."

"Yeah, I can't stand to search through any more." Anna leaned over the map. "Can I help?" Anna stuffed her cupcake into her mouth. Crumbs fell into the ocean area surrounding their three kingdoms. "What if we make a triangle between them. Does that do anything?"

Rapunzel penciled in points equidistant from their countries. She scribbled notes about current rulers, known exports, mountain sites. Nothing jumped out at her as significant.

"You know what we should do?" Anna said. "Elsa can take us all sledding. I design the course and she makes it. It's a blast. You guys haven't experienced a thrill until you've gone sledding with us."

"I don't think Elsa's in the mood for that right now," Rapunzel said. "Besides Elsa's curse affects her entire kingdom. Whereas, for me and Ariel, it was just us affected."

"Right. What did happen to you again?" Anna asked Ariel.

"I- it was... personal. Just... something from my past. Something I used to be, like Rapunzel."

"But it's not something we can see?" Anna asked.

"I got... control of it. Somewhat." Ariel bit her lip. In addition to watching the sun like a needy puppy, now she was lying to her new friends. Even if she could be human part of the day, this handicap was making her annoyed and sick.

"Oops." Anna spilled a glob of ink on their spare paper. Her hand came up smeared and dark black like tar. "Uh, guys? Can someone hand me a washcloth?"

Someone knocked on the door. Kristoff came in, undoing his neck scarf.

"Yay!" Anna jumped up and hugged him. "Are you all done?"

"We've finished the roofs and roads. But that ice isn't going anywhere." Kristoff picked up a half-eaten waffle and ate. Mouth half-full, he said, "You can walk again without slipping, and the roofs won't cave in, but still. There's weeks of work ahead. And I don't know about the farms. I heard Elsa was back."

"She is, but she didn't really find anything."

"Ahem," Ariel said, smiling. Kristoff noticed the new face.

"Oh, Kristoff. This is Princess Ariel. She's a friend of Elsa's and she's helping us."

"Another princess?" Kristoff goggled. "Just how many are you going to end up with? Are you recruiting them?"

Anna laughed. "And guess what. We all like going barefoot."

Rapunzel lifted her undressed foot. Then Ariel. Then Anna sat back in her chair and did the same.

"We should call ourselves the 'barefoot beauties'," Anna said.

"Can I join?" Kristoff bent over and began unlacing his boot.

"NO!" Anna leaped forward, pinning Kristoff's arms.

Kristoff smiled. "So you all are back to square one, eh?"

Ariel said. "Whatever Elsa was looking for didn't work. But now that we know we all have the same problem, we can all work together to solve it."

"That's what all this is for." Anna gestured to their workspace, as if caretaker of a garden. "We'll have this licked in no time. Hands off the chocolate."

Kristoff was about to pick up her uneaten cupcake. "But you weren't eating it."

"That's before I saw there was still some frosting on it. Anyway..." Anna turned to the girls. "Is it okay if I take a break? Kristoff's been gone for so long, I haven't had a chance to see him."

Ariel and Rapunzel wore blank expressions. They hadn't even started and she already wanted to take a break?

"Go ahead," Rapunzel said.

"I feel like going to sleep for three weeks," Kristoff said. "I told Sven he could take over as foreman. I'd hibernate."

"Ooh, speaking of hibernation, we had a bear on trial here."

"A bear? For what? What do you sue a bear for?"

As soon as they left and closed the door behind them, Ariel leaned into Rapunzel. "Is she always like that?"

"Who, Anna? Kinda. I thought maybe Elsa keeps her straightened up, but nope. Sisters, huh?"

Ariel sat back. "You're telling me. I've got six older sisters."

"Six?" Rapunzel exclaimed.

Ariel nodded. "And I'm the oddball among them. They were into typical things--fancy looks, boys, dancing, gossiping. Do you have any siblings?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "No, my parents were too somber to have any more children after I was kidnapped. I guess they didn't want to risk the same thing happening. But they had each other, thank goodness. Otherwise, Corona would have been ruined."

"I've heard it's nice. Does your... does your kingdom have to rely on fishing?" Ariel asked.

"No, I suppose not. But it is on the ocean. That's a large part of why it's so prosperous," Rapunzel replied.

"So you can have a thriving kingdom without fishing, as long as there are other resources."

"Well, I guess it depends on a lot of things. Corona's got a lot of good farmland for grazing and agriculture. And there's always good sun. The soil gets plenty of moisture from the mountain rains. And the river makes it easier to transport goods. But if we relied solely on that, we'd fail. There's just not enough. Why are you asking?"

Ariel realized she was letting too much slip. "No reason. Um, just wondering about geography. Anyway, let's get back to this."

Rapunzel worked with the map, paying special attention to the routes between their three kingdoms. She cross-referenced areas with their histories, searching for any keywords involving magic or superstitious acts.

Ariel dug through tomes of forgotten lore and legend. Since she was unfamiliar with the fables and folk tales of the north, she took her time reading. "There sure are a lot of trolls in these books."

Rapunzel kept her eyes down and didn't say anything.

"What's this?" Ariel pulled off an envelope stuck to the leather of the book. It was addressed to Elsa.

"Oh, I remember that. That came a little after Elsa left. Anna must have used it as a bookmark." Rapunzel grimaced.

"I'll take it to her," Ariel said. "We should check on her anyways."

Ariel got up and left the room. She asked a page where Elsa's chambers were, then walked through quiet halls to where the palace faced the fjord. Elsa must have had a beautiful view when she woke up each morning. Alone in the corridor, she quietly knocked on the door.

"Elsa? It's me, Ariel," she said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said.

The smell of hot black tea lingered with fresh ink. Elsa wasn't napping. She was sitting at an upright draft board. With pen pressed against paper, she drew circles within a spinning stencil. The result was a beautifully carved fractal design.

"What are you doing?" Ariel asked.

Elsa sighed. "This helps me calm down. It's a little device that makes hypotrochoids and epi-... it's a geometry thing."

"Geometry?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, but I love doing it. Maybe it's like puzzle solving. You start with a bunch of disjointed pieces then condense them to get a single answer." Elsa sat back. "Makes me feel back to normal."

"At least as normal as an ice sorceress who's friends with a mermaid can be," Ariel added. "Here, we found this."

Elsa took it. "Who's it from?"

"We don't know. Rapunzel said it came a little bit after you left, but it got lost in their research."

Elsa opened it with her pen. "You didn't have to deliver it yourself."

"I... I came because I felt like I should apologize. For what happened on the ship. I should have listened to you. I should have left for help." Her eyes glanced to the purple wound on Elsa's forehead.

"I understand. You didn't want to have to leave me behind."

"Actually, that was part of it. The other part was that I didn't... I didn't want to leave the trident behind. I couldn't. It turned me from human to mermaid and I don't know of anything else capable of that. Doesn't sound like there is anything, from what Dame Naidra said."

Elsa nodded. "I'm sorry too. I should have used my power from the start. Forget what anyone would have said, I put you in danger, those fishermen in danger. And all I could think of was how they'd think of me. I... I was foolish, selfish. But you're right, you couldn't let the trident go when it was in the wrong hands. At least no one can use my powers except me."

"It's not just falling into the wrong hands that I'm worried about. It was my father's. It was like his symbol." Ariel closed her eyes. They had to get this done as fast as possible. "I'm the one that took it. I can't lose it. It's got power even I don't understand yet. It's too important for me to lose it like that. But that doesn't mean you need to be put in danger."

"We all tend to make bad decisions when we get stressed or lonely or scared." She held Ariel's hands. "We're going to solve this."

Elsa pulled the contents of the letter out. Nothing but a blank page, front and back.

"I don't get it. It's a piece of paper."

"Maybe it's a secret message?" Ariel asked. "I've heard there's some ink you have to rub lemon juice on it to get it to show up."

Elsa picked the slice of lemon out of her tea and rubbed it against the page like an eraser. Nothing happened.

"What a wizard made it so only he could read it? Maybe there's a spell," Elsa asked.

"Spell... What time is it?" Ariel looked out the window. The sun hadn't set, but it was getting ready to. She had maybe an hour.

"Don't worry," Elsa said, smiling. "I made arrangements. I told the servants to run your bath. And there's gift in your room--a giant pot of authentic Arendelle sea salt."

Ariel's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you. I'm so tired of this hiding. I can't wait until all this is over."

"If Rapunzel or Anna ask, I'll just tell them you weren't feeling well, or you were too tired. You better go on before anyone keeps you."

Ariel left, saying her thanks.

* * *

Anna slipped back into the room, as if she could be unnoticed. "Sorry about that," she said. "Kristoff was so tired he fell asleep on the couch mid-sentence. Then I went looking for where the chef hides the baker's chocolate. It was all the way on the top shelf. I don't know why they put it there." She slid into her chair. "Where's Ariel?"

"She went to see Elsa."

"Kristoff said that the grass near the coast is warm enough that we could have a picnic there sometime. We could ride horses out there tomorrow."

"That sounds fun, but I think we should get as much done as possible." Rapunzel hated to use her "serious" voice, but she couldn't return to Corona until they had exhausted their options here. And Anna's gaiety was grinding on her nerves. This "curse" was affecting more than a one kingdom.

"Okay, what can I help with?" Anna asked.

"You could take over for Ariel. Check the notes she made." Rapunzel pointed to the stack of books with slips of paper sticking out.

Anna took one. The whole stack fell down. "Oops. My bad. I hope those weren't organized." She stacked them back up and began checking each denoted page. "Why is this bookmarked? It's talking about some guy named Temeris."

"Temeris? That's the name of the cult leader Dame Naidra told us about. She thought he was the only one with the kind of magic to make this happen."

"There's something about that here." She checked the spine of the book-- _True Tales and Anecdotes from Adventurers of Nobility_.

Anna read "'When I was a wee one, I heard talk about the three faults of Temeris. Parts of an old religious leader's body. But when I arrived at the site, they'd already been taken. By a group of three explorers: Omis Ravir, Lowther Vonde Brackridge, and Arcius Cansteth the "Dawnslayer" You might, dear reader, wonder how I know the nomenclatures of those culprits? Because Temeris had thoughtfully written it in the master text. If there was any evidence of clairvoyance, it's that he described how the three faults would be stolen. And by who.'" Anna flipped through the book. "That's about it. Who were these guys? And why would anyone take old body parts? Yuck."

"They could have been bandits. Or grave robbers. Or loyal followers of magic. Or strangers who got lucky. What were those names again?"

"Omis Ravir, Lowther Vonde Brackridge, and Arcius Cansteth."

"Omis Ravir... Omis Ravir... why does that sound familiar...?" Rapunzel tapped her pencil.

"It sounds pretty sinister," Anna added.

"That's it! That's the guy that tried to assassinate me the night my hair came back. It makes so much sense. There's no way he could have learned of it AND entered the castle unless he had magic."

"Then that means..."

Rapunzel slammed her book shut. "We're going to Corona."

Anna stood up from the table. "Let's go tell everyone."

Rapunzel and Anna ran out of the room. Finally, they had a direction to go. They turned a corner and ran into Elsa. She and her sister bumped chests and fell backwards.

"Elsa! Elsa! Where's Ariel?" Rapunzel asked.

"She's in her room. She's-"

"Guess what? We were going over the maps and the books and thinking about what we already knew and then-" Anna said.

"The three men that the witch mentioned. One of them-" Rapunzel started.

"No, no, let me tell it," Anna said. "I was looking through the books and we came across this thing about Temeris. You remember telling us about that creepy witch lady--Name Dryad."

"Dame Naidra?"

"Right. And all of the sudden-"

Rapunzel figured this might take some time so she backed away and headed off to tell Ariel. Neither Anna or Elsa noticed her leave.

Rapunzel headed to the back of the castle alone. She knocked on Ariel's quarters. "Hello?"

Nothing. She opened the door a little ways.

The room was empty and the lights were out. Was Ariel even in here? Then she noticed light under the bathroom stall.

Rapunzel tip-toed up to the door--her bare feet silent as silk--and pressed her ear to it. She knocked.

"Don't come in! I'm in the bath!" Ariel shouted.

"I'm not! It's me, Rapunzel. I have important news."

"What?"

"Me and Anna discovered something."

"You and Anna what?"

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "Can I open the door? Just a crack."

"Okay."

Rapunzel turned the knob. "Ariel?"

"Yes. I... I'm naked."

"I hope so. That's how you usually take a bath."

Ariel giggled. "What's the big news?"

"We found one of the names you heard the old witch say. And guess where he is? Corona."

"That's where you're from, right?" Her legs flapped against the water.

"Yes. Anna's telling Elsa right now. I bet they're making arrangements to leave."

"We're going back to sea?" Ariel asked with a whine.

"Well, not until tomorrow. It'll take time to get a ship ready and packed."

"Okay, good. I'm... feeling pretty tired. I think I'll go right to bed after my bath. But thanks for telling me."

"Sure. Good night." Rapunzel shut the door. She figured she would rejoin Elsa and Anna, hoping Elsa wasn't so determined that she'd spend all night on working. True, she had business in Arendelle to take care of but-

Her head jerked back, as if gripped by something. A cord of taut hair extended from her scalp, caught in the bathroom door. Rapunzel laughed at herself and reopened the bathroom door.

"Sorry, my hair was caught in the-" Rapunzel glanced in the mirror.

Ariel lay in the bath. Her head at one end. A gigantic green fishtail at the other.


	14. The Little Blockade

"I... I... I... I'm sorry. I..." Rapunzel stammered.

Ariel ducked under the water.

The door drifted open wider as Rapunzel's hand unconsciously pushed against it. She was no longer sure what she was seeing.

Ariel's head rose. "I guess it's silly to hide. Not like I can go anywhere." She waved Rapunzel in.

"You... you... you're a..." Rapunzel took a step in. "A real...?"

"Yes. And Elsa knows too. It's... kinda how we met."

Rapunzel sat on the privy while Ariel told her story, starting with her transformation in another bathtub. When she got to the part about stealing her father's trident, Rapunzel glanced at the long, golden fork laying in arms reach of the tub.

Of course, to explain why that was important, she had to go back to the beginning, when a fateful ship sailed over her grotto. Then she could explain the storm, the shipwreck, and how Elsa and her met. If she wasn't immersed in water she would have had a dry throat several times over.

Rapunzel stayed silent during her story. The only time the fair-haired maiden had interjected was to ascertain detail or weed out some falsehood. Now, Rapunzel's bright eyes scoured her body.

"Can... can I touch it?"

Ariel was confused. She was talking about her tail. "Oh. Sure, I guess."

Rapunzel stretched out her hand as if nearing a snake. When she made contact with the soft, moist surface, she gasped. "It's so... strong."

"Strong?" Ariel expected her to say "slimy", "gross", "cold", or something to that effect.

"It must be all muscle in there. I can feel it pumping under the skin... er, scales."

Ariel smiled. Since this started, she'd been thinking of this as a weakness, not a strength.

"Does Anna know?" Rapunzel asked.

"No. The fewer people that know, the better. Although, I'm not doing such a great job of that, am I?"

"So that's why it's so important we find whoever did this spell. You can't even go home to your husband."

"Right. The longer this lasts, the more chance of someone finding out. You can't keep something like this a secret for long."

"So this is where you sleep then?" Rapunzel asked.

"I've got my salt here. The water's cold enough. Better than a barrel."

"But as soon as sunrise comes, you'll be back to being human." Rapunzel stood up. "I have a ton of questions, but I'll let you get some rest."

"Thanks. I'm don't think I'll be going back anytime soon. And thanks for keeping this secret."

"Don't worry. I never break a promise." Rapunzel shut the door and exited.

* * *

The next morning, Elsa summoned all necessary parties to the castle's conference room. Those parties included Anna, Rapunzel, and Ariel, plus a smattering of local representatives and councilors. Elsa sat primly at the head of the table, greeting each as they entered. She bade Rapunzel, Ariel, and her sister to sit closest to her.

"Thank you all for coming. As you know, times have been tough lately. I know everyone in Arendelle thinks I'm to blame."

"No, they don't," Anna said, grasping Elsa's hand.

"Well, some of them still might. But now I think there's actual proof that my powers are not the cause. Because both Rapunzel and Ariel," she gestured to each side, "have experienced the same thing. A sort of 'backsliding' to parts of our past."

"Like how you didn't used to be able to control your power," Anna said.

"Yes. But we learned the only thing capable of doing this is some ancient magic. A powerful and corrupting magic. But Rapunzel says there's someone in Corona with the same name as a person who took that power."

"That's all you're going by? A name?" one of the councilors asked.

"I trust Rapunzel. And it's the best we've got." Elsa added to herself _And if this leads nowhere, I have no idea what to do_. "So, I've gathered you here to announce we'll be leaving for Corona immediately. A small fleet is being prepared. Rapunzel, Ariel, and I will be heading off as soon as it's ready."

"Why are _you_ going?" Anna asked. "Why can't you send someone else? It's Rapunzel's kingdom."

"I know. I just got back and I'm leaving again. I'm sorry." Elsa looked at Ariel and Rapunzel. "But this involves all of us, somehow. It's not a coincidence. We need to seek this out together."

"What about Arendelle?" a councilor said. "You're abandoning it again?"

"Princess Anna will be the appointed regent until my return. Don't forget, she kept the kingdom stable in my absence, in spite of an ice storm."

Another councilor coughed. "I'm not quite sure that was Anna so much."

Elsa arched her eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Madame Tora nodded. "I think all the council agrees. Perhaps you should consider leaving Rapunzel and taking Anna. She is your sister after all."

"Leaving Rapunzel? But she's _from_ the place we're going to," Elsa said.

"Or leave Anna. We don't care. As long Rapunzel stays," Tora said.

"Why?" Elsa asked.

Rapunzel looked around nervously, considering her options--shouting out, taking Elsa aside, jumping out the window seemed viable. She could latch onto something and swing by her hair.

A messenger boy burst into the council chambers holding a scroll of paper. His face was beet red from running.

"Queen Elsa! There's... you better... this note... from the watch."

Elsa took the envelope from the exhausted page. It wasn't even sealed with wax, it had been so hastily written.

Elsa read the few lines. She stood up. "Telescope. Does anyone have a telescope? Monocular? Anything?"

One of the guards next to the window produced a small, pocket-size telescope. Elsa held up the eyepiece and looked out the window towards the ocean.

"Elsa?" Anna asked.

"An armada. Advancing on Arendelle. From Weselton _and_ the Southern Isles."


	15. Trapped Under Ice

"Those are a lot of ships for two kingdoms," Rapunzel said.

"And their allies," Elsa said. "But the lead ship is the Southern Isles' bellwether. I can tell by the flag."

"If he's on that boat..." Anna wrung one mittened hand into her other.

"What's that?" Ariel pointed to the coast with her trident.

A lone skiff had broken out of the combined fleet and headed towards the docks.

"Is it... attacking?" Ariel asked. "Just that one guy?"

"No," Elsa said. "It's a herald, come to discuss terms."

The four of them watched in silence as the tiny boat shored up. A man and two guards in black armor stepped onto the beach. Several of Arendelle's military was there to meet him. It looked like he was holding a scroll.

"Tell him I shall meet him in the throne room." Elsa spun, her dress swishing behind her.

"Your highness, what if it's a trap?" Kai asked. "You could send your own envoy."

"If someone's going to declare war against Arendelle, I want to hear it personally. Without a go-between mincing my words."

Ariel, Anna, and Rapunzel followed Elsa to the throne room, stunned by her sudden sense of command. In the throne room, a crimson carpet led to a throne of red velvet in mahogany framing. Guards distributed themselves on the beryl tile. In a few minutes, the doors opened. Ariel twisted her trident in her hand, feeling much like a bodyguard herself.

"Announcing Ludvig Boger, representative for the Southern Isles," Kai said.

The man walked into the room, followed by his two guards. He had a snide, lizard-like face with squinty eyes and a tiny nose.

"Ahem," Boger said, "That should be 'Representative for the combined forces of the Southern Isles and Weselton and their allies, henceforth to be known as the Free and Royal Protectorate of Nations'."

Anna burst in. "How dare you come here with all your ships and your navy. Who do you think you are? You can go back and tell Hans and the Duke that-"

Elsa placed her hand on Anna's shoulder. To Boger, "What are you here for?"

"I've come to deliver a message from the leaders of the F.R.P. I guaranteed my commanders that the queen would hear it word-for-word." He opened up his scroll and coughed. "Whereupon it becomes necessary to, as a result of unforeseen and unexplainable circumstances, combine forces in foresight of mutual assistance and cooperation, the Free and Royal Protectorate has formed to combat and eliminate, or in the failure of elimination to contain, any threats, risks, or menaces, that may not or should not be inclined to any one single nation, fore wherewithal said threat may prove untaskable by any particular-"

"Does this sentence ever end?" Ariel asked.

"I have a feeling I know how it ends," Elsa said through gritted teeth. "Speak plainly, knave."

"I'm getting to that," Ludvig said. "In light of this new alliance, the F.R.P. has identified Elsa, Queen of Arendelle, as too great a potential menace to the established state of affairs. And as such, to be removed from power in any form possible. The F.R.P. recognizes a ruler of a nation that can defy forces of nature creates an imbalance between nations such that surrounding sovereignty is at imminent risk."

"What'd he say?" Anna whispered to Elsa.

"They think I'm too dangerous," Elsa said, "So they've come to eliminate me."

"What?" Anna screamed. "You can't do that!"

Ludvig lowered his scroll. "The queen is a threat to herself, the town, maybe the entire world. What's to stop her from declaring war against every kingdom around her. No one stands a chance against such an empire. She could sink an entire fleet with some well-placed icebergs. She can kill any man with a thrown icicle."

"She would never do that," Anna said, fists clenched. "Just sail back and leave us alone."

"The Free and Royal Protectorate cannot stand by while Arendelle sits victim to the whims of an emotional woman. The current state of the kingdom proves it. It must be liberated before either your townspeople are enslaved under your tyranny or killed by the elements. The F.R.P. requests that Queen Elsa abdicates the throne immediately."

Elsa pursed her lips. Anna answered for her. "We will do no such thing."

"So be it." Ludvig rolled up his scroll. "Unless you send a negotiator to our flagship by sunset to negotiate a surrender, we will consider your response as defiance and launch an initial assault."

Ludvig spun on his heel and exited the throne room. His black-clad guards followed him out. Kai slammed the door on him with an angry flourish.

Anna wrung her hands. "Why of all the... that no good son... You would never do that, all those things he said."

Elsa rested her elbow on chair's arm, rubbing her forehead. "They don't care whether I would. The point is that I _could_."

"But-" Anna said.

"This is the last thing we need. Arendelle's already vulnerable," Rapunzel said.

"We need to find out who's doing this. Then we can make them undo it all," Ariel said.

"Oh, I know. Use your ice powers to freeze them in place, just like last year," Anna said. "Or you can build a barricade. Or sink their ships. Or anchor them..."

"Isn't that justifying why they're here in the first place?" Elsa asked.

A cold wind blew through the throne room.

"Even if I did, it wouldn't stop them for long. I'm sure they've got chisels or flaming cannonballs or fire arrows or something. Ice can melt. Besides, I don't want people to think I'm a tool for war. More people would join them or try to exploit me."

The throne room became deadly silent as everyone's minds locked up in thought. And the time constraints limited any other solution.

"Corona would help," Rapunzel said. "We just appointed a new captain and he's eager to prove himself."

"If only we could get through," Ariel said. "They've barricaded the entire harbor."

"And they're ready to attack at even the slightest aggressive action. We couldn't even send one ship out."

Rapunzel pointed to Ariel. "If we wait until after sunset, you could-" She clamped a hand over her own mouth. "Never mind."

Elsa looked at Ariel. Ariel returned the gaze with a slight nod, saying without words _it's okay, she knows_.

"You'd think between the three of us, we could come up with something," Ariel suggested.

Elsa perked up. "No, wait. That's it!" Elsa checked the pendulum clock. "Kai, what's the fastest ship you can have ready by sunset?"

Kai hummed, startled. "Er... I believe, actually... I think the ship _you_ brought in."

"The _Barefoot Maiden_ ," Rapunzel said.

"It's the most recently moored. And the royal ships either need resupply or are too large. They'd never be prepared in time."

"Move it to the dock furthest down the fjord. Far enough that they can't see what we're doing."

"How big of a crew should I gather?" Kai asked.

"None. It'll be only Rapunzel, Ariel, and I."

Kai looked quizzically at Elsa. "Only you three?"

"Can you sail?" Anna asked.

Elsa nodded. "I sailed the _Maiden_ back to Arendelle."

"I know how too," Ariel said. "Eric taught me. He sails all the time. He practically lives on a boat."

"Good. I think we can pull this off. Here's the idea. Ariel, you-" She glanced at the others. "Um, I'm afraid I'll have to dismiss everybody. I don't want too many people to know about these plans. You too, Anna."

"Me?" Anna asked, looking hurt.

It hurt to exclude Anna, after she had done so all her life. But she had to respect Ariel's secret more. "I'll need you for another part of the plan. But not this one. Go get Kristoff and Olaf."

Anna held her breath. Maybe tears were forming in her eyes, but she left the throne room with everyone else. When the doors shut, Rapunzel, Ariel, and Elsa were alone.

"I hated to do that, but we've got too many secrets to keep."

"I understand," Ariel said. "Thank you."

"All right, here's what we're going to do."

Elsa pulled out a piece of paper and began to draw a ship.

* * *

On the _Fighting Hour_ , the Southern Isles' premier flagship, all staff had their eyes turned to the sun. Except for a lookout at the stern, eye glued to the telescope. He waved his arm. "Vessel sighted. Headed our way."

Hans walked up to the bow and took the scope. A boat was indeed on its way. A long boat with two royal guards rowing. Their passengers were a stocky blond man, a pile of snow, and Princess Anna.

Hans smirked.

"Extend the plank to them. Send a message to the Duke that I'll be receiving them aboard my ship." He handed the telescope back.

Hans gave orders to make sure everything in sight indicated order. Every coil of rope arranged, every uniform unblemished. The prince and his elite guards stood at the top of the gangplank, awaiting them.

The princess hiked up her skirt and stepped out of the boat. The knappy blond man and that accursed snowman followed behind.

"Welcome aboard the _Fighting Hour_. It's an honor to have you aboard, Princess Anna."

"Prince Hans," Anna said, ice dripping from every letter. "I see your nose healed nicely."

"What? Oh..." He unconsciously touched his nose. "May I ask the names of your compatriots?"

Kristoff folded his arms and turned away and grimaced.

Olaf waddled toward him. "Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs. But not from you."

Hans furrowed his brows. "Is this some creation of Elsa's? If it's meant to be a demonstration of her power, tell her I've seen better. And dispatched them."

"Oh, you mean Marshmallow?" Olaf said. "Yeah, he's fine. He lives in the ice palace. Had a lot to say about you. All good things, all good things."

"He's not a demonstration of anything," Anna said. "Except love, which you wouldn't understand."

Hans coughed. "I trust Elsa is preparing for her departure. Personally, I would have given her more time, but we were afraid she would mount a counter-offensive."

"Elsa is..." Anna looked at Kristoff, as if he had the words. "She's... she's still... undecided about whether to surrender."

"What?"

"Well, what are you going to do for her? Are you going to haul her off to prison as soon as she comes on board. That's not very reasonable."

"And rude!" Olaf said.

Hans played with the fingers of his gloves. "Are you telling me she's refusing to step down?"

Anna shirked back. "N-no. No, not necessarily. We... we came..."

"We're here to negotiate. On her behalf." Kristoff said.

"If she wishes to negotiate, she can come herself. Not send her little sister-"

Anna scowled. "I am the princess of Arendelle. This is my kingdom too. And I have as much right to be here and talk to your ugly face as she does."

"Elsa's not going to move right where you want her," Kristoff said. "She knows your games. Anything you want to say to her you can say to us. Elsa is the queen of Arendelle, and Arendelle's in the hearts of anyone who lives there. You take her away, you take us all."

Olaf jumped in. "Yeah. She's a queen in all our hearts. In spades. Wait, queen of spades, that's the bad one. Right?" Olaf looked up at Kristoff.

"Anyway, she told us her demands," Kristoff said.

"She's in no position to make demands. But let's hear them." He gestured to a wood-grain table in the middle of the deck. A map of Arendelle and the surrounding waterways lay on the surface. Kristoff and Anna sat on one side. Olaf's carrot nose poked over the map.

"First, she wants to make sure all the people in town are cared for. No installing your own military force or leaders or anyone," Anna said.

"Fine. We want Elsa, not Arendelle," Hans said.

"That means you don't get to carry weapons on Arendelle shores," Kristoff added.

Hans paused. "That I can't agree to. You can't expect my men not to defend themselves if attacked. There will be resistance."

"Fine, you can bring weapons. But no arresting anyone for supporting Elsa," Anna said. "If anyone starts throwing rotten vegetables at you, you can't throw them in the dungeon."

"I'd throw my nose at you right now, but it's not rotting. See?" Olaf plucked out his nose and waved it in Hans's face. His arm knocked a bottle of ink onto the map. "Oops, sorry about that. Now Arendelle's right next to the black sea."

Kristoff whispered to Anna, "It's not too late to throw him in as a bargaining chip."

Anna smacked him on the arm, hitting only padded jacket. "Number two, you don't get to arrest Elsa. She gets amnesty," she said.

"The whole reason we're here is to make sure people like Elsa _don't_ go free. We're taking her," Hans said.

"And what are you going to do? Put her in chains? You couldn't keep her locked up in her own castle," Kristoff said.

"We never had any intention of imprisoning her," Hans said with a grim expression.

Olaf gasped. "You're going to take her back with you? She'd love to see the Southern Isles. She talks about them all the time."

"Olaf, they're going to kill her," Kristoff said.

"Oh... well, that's much worse."

"The F.R.P. was formed to deal with threats like this. We can't simply send them on their merry way," Hans said.

Anna glanced at the sun. "Well, let's talk about that. Maybe there's some alternative to death we haven't thought of."

"Like what?" Hans asked. "I'd love to hear what can stop her."

"Well, there's... see, it's not just a matter of stopping her. It's a matter of wills. If you don't have the will, you can't have... the way."

"We're arguing philosophy now?" Hans asked.

Anna's face brightened. "Yes! Yes, we are, like, um... there's a lot to discuss here... like..." She nudged Kristoff in the ribs.

"You see... there's... an old saying in my family. A rolling stone gathers no moss."

"What does that mean?" Hans asked.

"It means people on the move have no responsibilities or cares."

"Oh, I've been saying it wrong all this time. Or never. Since I never heard it till now." He turned to Anna. "Has anyone ever tested this? What if it rolls very slowly?"

"I know what the phrase means! I mean how does that relate to our discussion." Hans's face turned red.

"Good question. It has to do with... a lot of things. What do words mean anyway?"

"Enough of this." Hans stood up and took his gloves off. "No more speaking in roundabout ways. You're just delaying the inevitable."

"Me? Delaying?" Anna said. "What... why would I delay anything? I'm not delaying." She laughed nervously.

Hans twitched his eyebrow.

Kristoff stepped forward. "Tell you what. If we aren't done by one hour after sunset, we'll take you into the palace, and you'll see that Elsa's not there. How does that sound?"

Hans considered this, then his face relaxed. "Very well. But no more of this long-windedness. Say what you have to say and be done with it."

Kristoff looked at Anna with relief. Anna grew a sly smile. "I think the best thing is to understand Elsa," she said. "And to do that, there's no better person than Olaf."

"Me?" Olaf pointed a twig at himself.

"Yes. Olaf, why don't you tell Hans your life story?"

Olaf turn-wobbled to Hans. "Well, I don't remember when I was born--I was awful young then. But I started off as a little snowflake. A twelve-branched star to be exact. It's one of the rarer kinds. I don't mean to brag, but..."

Hans rolled his eyes and rested his head on his elbow.

* * *

"Do I look as ridiculous as I feel?" Rapunzel asked.

Rapunzel's hair divided in two, split down the middle. A hairdresser and a dockworker had worked together creating the tightest, strongest braids they could. Each hung over the side of the boat--one to starboard, one to port--dangling in the water.

"I don't think my hair's ever taken this kind of tension before. How do I know it's not going to rip my skull open?"

"The ice will weave into the hair, absorbing the tension. I know I can make it airtight, but I've never made anything this thick or strong. If there's even a slight crack."

"There won't be."

"And I can't make it too big or we won't be buoyant enough. What if we run out of oxygen before we're in open sea? We'd all suffocate."

Rapunzel placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's not worry about everything that could happen. If we all do our best, it'll work out."

Elsa took a deep breath. "Anna says worrying about things is like praying for something you don't want in the first place."

They hugged. "It's almost sunset. We better get into position."

The ship had been drifting away from dock for a while, situated in the fjord behind a promontory. Only the three of them were on board.

Rapunzel returned to the center of the hardcastle while Elsa walked up to the bow. Ariel sat on the prow, legs tucked beneath her, staring at the orange sunlight.

"Feel anything yet?" Elsa asked.

"Not yet, but I guess it's better to be in the water before it happens than after." She slipped her dress off her head and stood in undergarments, holding her trident.

"Swan dive!" Ariel ran off and jumped over the edge. Her arms spread until she hit the water, trident first, with the littlest splash Elsa had ever seen.

Thirty seconds passed. Nothing came up, not even bubbles. "Ariel?" Elsa called out.

"Is she still under?" Rapunzel called out. A minute passed.

"Ariel?" Elsa shouted louder. What if she'd run off, back to her homeland. What if she jumped in too early and drowned. What if she got caught in a net? Elsa prepared to jump in after her.

Then a cloud of red hair rose to the surface. Ariel swiped her bangs out of her eyes. "I'm set," she yelled. Her tail breached for a second. "Tell Rapunzel to get ready."

Elsa gave her a thumbs up and left the rail. She stood in the center of the boat, facing Rapunzel. They waited.

Rapunzel's head tugged to one side. She jerked so suddenly, Elsa was afraid she might launch into the air.

"You okay?" Elsa asked.

"Just dandy," she said through gritted teeth, one eye squinched closed. Her head yanked the other way. The braids pulled taut, centering her.

"What is she tying them to, rocks?" The braids loosened for a second, then her left tugged twice. "There's the signal. Go for it."

Rapunzel's wide, glowing face gave Elsa confidence to proceed. She raised her arms to the sky.

A giant snowflake appeared above them, growing larger by the second. The snowflake's arms reached down and around them, spreading into a dome shape. Layer upon layer of crystalline ice meshed with itself, weaving a flawless, opaque wall. The walls enveloped the ship and sank into the water.

Elsa's eyes closed, feeling the magic instead of seeing it. When it was complete, an ice sphere encased the ship.

"Do you feel anything?" Elsa asked.

Rapunzel tugged on her braid. It stopped well short of its full length, meaning the ice had formed around it. "I think we're good. How long do you think it will take Ariel to get some-"

The ship lurched. Rapunzel's braids kept her upright, but Elsa stumbled. She had a sudden feeling of falling. The ship, ice globe and all, was being pulled under the ocean.

"It's working," Rapunzel said with glee. "I can feel it."

"It feels like we're falling into the earth."

A low and deep ululation sounded, like a lamenting sigh and cheer at the same time. The ship vibrated from the gentle but strong bass.

Rapunzel's mouth opened in awe. "Can you believe this? There's giant whales attached to my hair right now. Pulling us through the ocean like some kind of chariot. Isn't that fantastic?" She giggled. "Do you think she's riding them like a horse?"

Elsa smiled. She marveled at Rapunzel's ability to still get excited, even amid the sheer unreality of everything. "We need to get fully submerged. Otherwise, the ships will see us leave port. And they'll be pretty mystified why a giant iceberg is floating beneath them."

"I'm sure Ariel knows what she's doing"

Elsa's eyes darted around, looking for cracks or leaks. The hazy light that managed to pass through the ice faded. Soon the twilight became pitch darkness.

"I can't see anything," Elsa said.

"Oh... I didn't think about this part," Rapunzel's voice uttered. "We're too deep for light to come through. If we lit a torch-"

"No," Elsa said. "I don't want to risk melting anything. Plus, a fire would consume more oxygen."

"I guess we'll just wait in the dark then."

They waited.

Elsa didn't move--couldn't move--for fear she'd run into something. So she remained still, squishing her fingertips together. Without light, the rhythmic lapping of the waves and thrumming of water surrounded the globe.

"I wonder if this is what being in the womb is like," Rapunzel whispered.

Elsa's head darted up. "Did you hear something? I heard a crack."

"I didn't hear anything," Rapunzel said. "Are you all right? I can't even see you."

Elsa didn't answer. She'd suddenly become aware of her heartbeat.

"Oh, my hair! Silly, I should have thought of it before." Rapunzel cleared her throat. " _Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine."_

With those few words, light streamed down the extensions of her hair like water through a pipe. A moody, sallow amber glow illuminated the area around Rapunzel and not much else. But even then, Rapunzel could see.

"Oh..."

Elsa had backed against the main mast. A thick coating of frost surrounded her feet, edging outward. Tiny crystals of ice jutted out, growing like flowers.

"Elsa, Elsa, it's okay. Calm down. We're fine. See? No leaks." Rapunzel put on her best smile. "It's okay."

"Right, right." Elsa stood up and took a breath. _Take the emotions, put them away._

"I think we're going up."

At first, Elsa thought Rapunzel was lying to placate her, but she did feel the sensation of rising. Light began to return, filling the globe with gray dusky effervescence. The globe bobbed up and down.

"I think you can dispel the ice now," Rapunzel said.

Elsa's heart was still beating fast, her hands shaking. Maybe Ariel had been caught. Maybe they'd resurfaced in front of the armada.

"Elsa?"

No, she couldn't allow this. Remember, love will thaw. Elsa remembered everyone who she was close to: Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, his stinky reindeer. Warm feelings filled her heart. She had the power to undo this.

After a deep breath, a small hole appeared in the top. Snow and ice flakes melted away into the atmosphere, revealing bright blue sky. The globe became a bowl, which became a cup, and then it was gone. The ship jounced into the new water.

Nothing around for miles. No land, no ships, nothing but cerulean sky and cornflower sea. It was like falling through the Earth to a different ocean. Elsa felt safe again, even though she had no idea where they were.

Ariel leaped like a dolphin into the boat, landing on the prow. "Everything okay?" she asked as she wrung out her hair.

"Just great," Rapunzel said, dragging each braid out of the water hand over hand.

The ocean emitted a throaty choral resonation. Two humpback whales surfaced, revealing their barnacled ridged backs. Water spouted up with a hissing thrush. Ariel waved to them.

"I was being pulled by those?" Rapunzel laughed. "Thank you!" she shouted to them.

"They're off to rejoin their pod now. I told them where they can find the best plankton."

Rapunzel and Elsa rejoined Ariel at the bow.

"So... now what?" Ariel asked.

Elsa looked up at the night sky. "Now we find out position. And start heading to Corona."


	16. Traveled Ground

While Elsa steered, Rapunzel sat and played solitaire with a flimsy deck from the captain's cabin. She didn't know anything about navigation, so she spent some time cleaning and arranging supplies, but that grew lonely. Ariel was in a tub below deck. So she came out to spend time with Elsa.

"Did you find any food?" Elsa asked.

"There's a little packed for us. The pirates left behind some limes, flour, lots of moldy old grains. Not even sure _I_ could make anything out of it."

"Hmm. We'll have to restock in Corona." Elsa asked.

Rapunzel combed her fingers through her hair, having taken out the braids. "So... that ice thing... that's still happening?"

"What? Oh... I suppose. Not... it's harder to control with everything that's come up."

"I understand. There's new friends and pirates and Arendelle in trouble and sinking underwater in giant ice globes. Besides..." She trailed a finger across a crack in the boards. "There's some things you never really get over."

"Worry more about poor Ariel. She has no control whatsoever over her transformations."

"Do you think we could carry her up?"

Elsa shook her head. "She needs to sleep. At least one of us should. We won't reach Corona until mid-day, if my estimates are right." Elsa glanced at her sextant, did a quick calculation, and turned the rudder. "You should go to sleep too."

"I will. In a little while. It's too beautiful out here." The stars reminded her of the floating lanterns--as if the hundreds released over the years were still forever rising.

Below deck, Ariel couldn't sleep. She was excited and depressed at the same time.

Excited because, for the first time in a long while, she was on an adventure with friends. Depressed because she had to stay away from everyone, like when her father beached her as a child. For twelve hours a day, she was useless.

Ariel turned on her stomach and rested her head on the tub's edge. She was like a fish in a bowl. Nothing but a big fork for company.

She looked down at the trident. It had so much godlike power, but she couldn't even use it. Not reliably. If only she had...

Well, that was a thing. She needed practice. And why not now?

Ariel held out the trident. She had to start small. If she punched a hole in the ship, her friends would be mad at her to say the least. And there was more to the trident than blasting.

A set of empty glass jars sat on a shelf nearby--dark and dirty. Ariel pointed her trident at the nearest one, willing it to... what? What could the trident do? Summon storms, shoot lightning, change mermaids to humans. Perhaps it was capable of anything.

Honestly, all she wanted was to pack a punch. Her skinny arms wouldn't hold any force, and she needed a way to make up for her shortcomings. Elsa had her ice. Rapunzel could use her hair as a rope or for healing wounds.

It just took concentration. Ariel pointed the trident and thought about making the jar move. Make it move. Make it move.

The jar trembled, then exploded. Ariel turned to avoid a shower of shards. No luck there.

She pointed at the second jar.

"I can do this. I can do this," she repeated to herself. She raised her chin, held up the trident, and concentrated.

The jar trembled. It wiggled, then fell off the shelf, breaking on impact.

Ariel's eyes widened. That was her.

_Come on, girl,_ she said to herself. _You can do this. This is your birthright. You might be the little, but you're the bravest mermaid I've ever seen. You stood up to a royal law. You united two totally different species._

A thin laser beam shot out. The glass jar careened back, clanging against the wall.

Ariel chittered, splashing water over the side. She did it. She could hang with the big girls now.

* * *

Ariel shoved the door to the top deck open. "Avast ye."

She stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, wearing full pirate regalia--a mauve double-breasted captain's coat with brass buttons and a white shirt underneath. Sunrise glistened against the cutlass on her belt. She adjusted the tri-corner hat over her flossy red hair.

"Where did you get that?" Elsa asked.

"Found it in a box," Ariel said. "Now move aside, landlubber. I be takin' over this ship."

Elsa smiled and turned away from the wheel, too tired to argue. "All yours, 'captain'."

"That's 'aye, sir', ye dog. Back to yer quarters wit' you."

Ariel approached the steering wheel, where she noticed Rapunzel sleeping at her foot. A blanket covered her. "What happened to her?" Ariel asked in a normal voice.

"Fell asleep. The maps are right next to you. It's a good wind. We should see Corona by noon." Elsa yawned. "So wake me when we're there."

"Aye aye." Ariel saluted. She grasped the wheel with two hands. In a little while, Rapunzel woke up.

"What in the world..." Rapunzel said.

Ariel threw back her head and laughed. She explained while Rapunzel dished out a breakfast of hard tack and limes. The conversation killed the time until midday. Together they spotted the first peek of Corona's taller peaks.

"Land ho!" Ariel shouted.

Rapunzel stood at the bow. She wanted to be the first to see her familiar home. The city looked so beautiful. And the grand castle in the center, a tower of-

Water exploded in front of the ship. Rapunzel shrieked and tripped backwards.

"What was that?" Ariel asked.

Another burst to port. They were coming from cannonballs. At the pier, white smoke drifted up and a moment later, there was a boom.

"They're firing!" Rapunzel said, scrambling back to Ariel.

"On us?" Ariel yanked the wheel to starboard.

"What's going on?" Elsa asked. "Are we at Corona? Are we under attack?"

"Yes and yes," Rapunzel shouted. "They fired a warning shot."

"Why? We didn't do anything. We're not-" She noticed the main mast and its flag--the black and white Jolly Roger.

"They think we're pirates," Rapunzel said.

The three of them rushed to the main mast. "Why didn't they change the flag? That's the first thing they should have done," Elsa cursed.

"Where is the rope?" Rapunzel asked. "How are we supposed to get it down?"

The rope hung halfway up the mast. Its frayed ends swung with the motion of the boat.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Ariel asked.

* * *

"Signs of retreat?" Captain Haldur asked. He shaded his eyes with his hands, viewing the lone pirate ship in Corona waters.

"No, sir," Lieutenant Kirkegaard said. "Still on evasive maneuvers. The clippers are almost undocked. Armed and ready to intercept the vessel."

"Dirty pirates," Haldur mumbled. "Maybe we ought to give them a stronger warning. Tell the cannoneer to attempt a contact shot."

"Any target, sir?"

"Doesn't matter. Knock down the mast, blow the hull open. We won't tolerate pirates in these waters. Even stupid ones."

"Aye sir, I'll give the order."

"Sir!" another guard spoke up, holding a telescope to her eye. "They're lowering their flag."

He grabbed the scope.

The skull and crossbones was descending. Jerkily and slowly, but lowering.

"What do those dirty pirates want? Surrender? Parley? They can parley with my rifle if they think..." He trailed off as the new flag rose. It was hard to see, because it wasn't a flag at all. "What is that? Some kind of rope? A yellow rope?"

Haldur followed it down the mast where it connected to a young woman's head. She stood beneath the mast, an annoyed smirk on her face. If it was a chunk of hair, that meant...

"The princess! Princess Rapunzel!" He dropped the spyglass. "Cease fire! Cease fire! Stand down." His lieutenants relayed the commands to their squadrons. "Inform the King and Queen. Get Commander Maximus down here. Message intercept vessels not to fire. Repeat, do not fire. They are to escort the ship into the nearest dock." He coughed as he collapsed the telescope. "With sincerest apologies."

* * *

As soon as the ship reached standstill, Corona servants jumped to work, securing ropes and placing the gangplank. Apologies and sincere regret abound from each worker. Rapunzel, who had lowered her hair from the flagpole, accepted each gracefully. Captain Haldur met Rapunzel on the deck, bent to his knees, and recited the long apology he had composed while waiting for them to dock.

"It's fine, it's fine," Rapunzel said. "It's our fault for not realizing about the flag."

"But, princess, why are you arriving in a pirate vessel? And with no crew? Just two... other princesses?"

Elsa and Ariel stepped forward, unable to keep from smiling.

"It's a long story. And I'll be happy to tell it, but first I'd love to get back to mother and father. We have urgent business."

"Of course." Haldur turned to the rail and shouted down. "The princess is disembarking."

The royal guard clapped their legs together. A bugler sounded the Corona anthem while Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel descended the gangplank. She didn't care for the fanfare, but it was a nice welcome back. And they seemed to enjoy the grandeur, maybe because they had been without a princess for so long.

"Oh, good, there's Flynn. And our captain of the guards is here," Rapunzel said as she waved.

Ariel and Elsa looked over the many armored shoulders for who she was waving that. They couldn't tell which one was the captain amid the many proud-looking cavalry with their horses.

A slender man with brown jaw walked beside a white warmblood stallion with a barrel chest. "Ladies," he bowed. " _Prince_ Flynn Rider, at your service."

Rapunzel said in a sing-song voice, "You can't be calling yourself a prince, Flynn."

"Aren't I married to the princess? That makes me a prince," Flynn said, responding in the same tone.

"Then you'd have to be going by Prince Eugene Fitzherbert."

Flynn paused. "Hi. How ya doin'? The name's Flynn Rider."

"And this is Maximus," Rapunzel said. She embraced a white stallion around his neck. The horse whinnied as she rubbed his nose. "I missed you too. I have so much to tell you."

Maximus's eyes glazed over as she scratched around the collar of his chest plate. She, Flynn, and the horse started towards the palace.

"That... is Maximus?" Elsa whispered to Ariel.

"I was expecting the captain of the guards to... well... have two legs. Not four."

Elsa smirked. "Says the girl who doesn't have any."

* * *

Maximus took Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel to the castle. King Frederic and Queen Arianna met her at the gates. There was much embracing and introductions and explanations. Then Rapunzel whisked them off into the castle.

"Is the horse going to follow us in?" Elsa asked.

Maximus chuffed.

"He likes to be called by his name," Rapunzel said.

Ariel mouthed to Elsa, _He?_

"Believe me," Flynn said. "I've seen stubborn viceroys choose not to. They end up leaving the castle with hoof prints on their butt."

Commander Ansel ran in from a corridor and met them in the great hall. He skidded to a stop in front of the party. Everyone behind Rapunzel crashed into her, tripping on her hair.

"A thousand apologies, your highness. I was just now informed that you'd arrived," Ansel said.

"You're just the man I want to see. Arendelle needs your help."

"Arendelle? Under the rule of your cousin?"

"Yes. And this is said cousin, Queen Elsa."

Elsa stepped forward. "A pleasure."

Ansel bowed and kissed the royal hand. "An honor. How may I assist your countrymen?"

"Some enemies have formed a blockade around my waters, attempting to stage a coup. Luckily, we were able to escape without them noticing. But they won't be happy when they find out. Arendelle can defend itself, but I fear the cost."

Ansel stood to his full height. "I'll make orders to mobilize the fleet at once. All cannons and artillery will be prepared. If that's an acceptable strategy to the queen."

"The whole fleet?" Elsa asked.

"My policy is not to open negotiations, but to make a show of force," Ansel said.

"Maybe we can resolve this without a battle, if they see themselves outmatched," Rapunzel said. She wiggled her eyebrows in hopefulness.

Ansel nodded. "I intend to make it so no one ever thinks of attacking Arendelle again."

Ariel looked at Elsa, with eyes that said _I'm not sure about this, but it's your call_.

"The extra force would be appreciated," Elsa said.

"We'll have to discuss strategy later," Rapunzel said. "But get as ready as you can." Ansel bowed and walked off. To her father, she said, "Is the prisoner still down below? The one who appeared in my bedchamber the night my hair returned?"

"As far as I know. I don't know any news of him."

"We need to talk to him. To the dungeon."

Rapunzel led them down into the castle's deepest recesses, three floors below ground level. Water dripped, accompanying the smell of dank and mold.

Rapunzel and her entourage walked to the furthest cell. He wore a dirty orange tunic, green sash, and baggy pants.

"Well, took you long enough," the man said. "About time you apologized for this whole misunderstanding."

"You had a knife at her throat. How is that a misunderstanding?" Flynn asked.

The man grinned, showing long teeth in receded gums. "There was a bee on her. A big one."

"You said your name is Omis Ravir, right?" Rapunzel asked.

"Aye, that's what I said and I said what I meant."

"Omis Ravir, who took the faults of Temeris?"

"Well, of course I'm not _that_ Omis Ravir. That's just a nickname."

"A nickname for what?" Ariel asked.

"A nickname for 'Why Would I Tell You My Real Name'? Besides it was just one fault."

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Then you do know him."

He played with the ring in his ear. "Aw, granny's gonna kill me. Well, Omis Ravir's a bit of a ghost story round where we live. Guess it hasn't made it round to Corona yet. I thought it might scare you off."

"Where _we_ live?" Elsa asked. "Are there more of you?"

"Do they know about Omis Ravir?" Ariel asked.

"Why should I tell you? What's in it for me?"

The three girls looked at each other. "What do you want?" Ariel asked.

The man clutched the bars. "A full pardon. And five hundred... no, a thousand pieces of gold."

"You tried to kill the princess!" Flynn yelled back. "You're lucky you've still got your head."

The man shrugged. "Granny always told me: look for the angle. Besides, I can't _tell_ you where it is. I'd have to show you. It's a secret."

"We don't deal with criminals," King Frederic said.

The man shrugged and turned. He returned to his bunk, one knee propped on the other. "Hey, it ain't no skin off my nose. I'm not the one who needs something. You know where to find me. I'll just be sitting here."

"Fine," Rapunzel said. "I'll agree on a commuted sentence. If you lead us where we need to go."

He grinned. "Miss Princess, that's exactly what I intend to do. Name's Nash Le Roy, at your service." He stuck a hairy hand through the bars to shake.

Maximus glared into the cage and neighed loudly.

Nash shirked back. "And by the way, _he_ 's not allowed to come."

* * *

Neither Flynn nor the king and queen would let Rapunzel go, but Nash had dictated his terms clearly. And they kept coming back to the same conclusion--if this failed, they were at a dead-end.

Finally, they allowed Rapunzel to go if she was accompanied by a garrison of eight guards on horseback. As long as Elsa was coming, Flynn felt better. Nash made a big show of agreeing, saying how generous he was.

They all found horses and headed to the castle gates. Nash was given a slower, older horse, in case he decided to bolt. Ariel kept her trident hidden in a long rucksack. At the first sign of trouble, she was ready to yank it out and fire.

Rapunzel embraced Flynn before leaving. Maximus nickered. He nudged Flynn's back pocket.

"Oh, right." Flynn pulled out a white envelope. "This letter came for you just after you left, but no one knows who delivered it. And Maximus wouldn't let me open it."

Maximus snorted.

Rapunzel opened it up and pulled out a piece of paper.

"I don't get it," Rapunzel said.

Elsa gasped. "I got a mysterious letter too. Just after I left." She pulled the letter from the knapsack to show her.

Rapunzel took both in her hands. "They feel like the same paper. Do you think it could have something to do with our problems?"

"It proves we're all in this together," Ariel said. "I wonder if I have one at my castle. But what is it trying to say?"

"Hey!" Nash shouted. "Are you coming or what?"

Rapunzel kissed Flynn goodbye and the three of them galloped to the rest. Nash took the lead. The women followed in neat formation. Nine guards raced behind them, hooves pounding the ground.

They headed west, the direction of the sun. Fields for miles, the castle fading behind them. Grassland and prairie rolled over hills and became swampy forest. The stink of sulfurous algae and rotting, water-logged wood hit like a wall.

Nash pulled his reins at the edge of the boggy marsh. "This is where the trail starts. We'll have to go on foot from here."

"Your majesty, this can't be allowed," said the lead guard. "We lose advantage if we go off horseback."

"You want to get your animals stuck in the swamp? Be my guest," Nash mocked.

Rapunzel looked to Ariel and Elsa for suggestions, but they had none. She dismounted her horse and approached Carina, the lead guard.

"It'll be all right. Four of you should take the horses back. The rest will come with us."

"Our orders are an eight-man garrison to accompany you."

"I know. But four is still plenty."

"Ladies! Daylight's burning," Nash called.

Carina did as ordered. Four galloped back to the castle, with horses in tow. Rapunzel rejoined Elsa and Ariel at the mouth of the swamp. "Lead on."

Nash trudged through the water. His boots made horrific slurping sounds. Dirt and mud and sweat trickled into their mouths, mixing with the methane gas in the air. Trees and vines cast everything in shadow.

"Why is your home in a swamp?" Ariel asked.

"It's not _in_ a swamp. This is how you get to it. There's a long history of my people here. We're what you call 'roamers'. Travelers of the world. Entertainers, merchants, fortune tellers. But the outside world doesn't think much of that. We have to stay outside the cities."

"You mean gypsies," Carina said. "Thieves and beggars, you lot are."

"That is a nasty stereotype."

"Homeless rabble-rousers."

"Enough," Elsa said. "You're acting like children. The more we save our breath, the less we have to breathe in this horrible place. If we-" Looking back, she stopped. "Weren't there four of you?"

One was missing. They spent another five minutes yelling his name. No success.

"I don't like this," Carina said.

"If he was injured, he would have called out, I assume," Elsa said. "He likely got separated." The black trunks and rolling hills acted as fantastic hiders.

"We can't stop now," Nash said. "You should have hired smarter guards."

Rapunzel shushed him with a dirty look. Ariel batted her eyes, indicating the sun.

"If we spend too much time searching it'll get dark. Garrick, you go back and look for him," Rapunzel said. "The rest of us keep going. You can catch up afterwards."

Favrou nodded and bowed out. They continued on - two guards, three princesses, and one thief. Half an hour passed with no return of either. "Princess, I don't like this. We should stop going further until Favrou returns," Carina said. "Or go back to look for them."

"Too late now. It'll be dark before we leave," Nash said. "And I don't recommend spending the night somewhere you can't see the crocodiles."

Rapunzel's eyes twitched. She didn't like this either, wandering waist deep in stagnant air and decay, missing two people. But they couldn't stop.

"You two, go out and find them. Elsa, Ariel, and I will continue on," Rapunzel said.

"Your majesty, no. That is out of the question," Carina said.

"We don't have much choice. This is my problem in the first place."

" _Our_ problem," Elsa corrected. "We'll be fine." She glared at Nash. "We are not the shrinking violets you think we are."

Nash held up his hands defensively. "Never said you were. Trust me. I got nothing to gain by misleading you. I don't want to go back to jail."

The two guards looked at each other. "If we don't return within ten minutes, I order you to apprehend the criminal and return to the castle. Er... your majesty."

"Fine."

The two remaining guards walked away, leaving the three of them against one thief. They still overpowered him, but he had no idea how.

Another half hour passed while they followed Nash, dirt and filth-covered. The guards did not return.

"Um, does anyone else think it's weird that all our guards dropped off? One by one?" Ariel asked.

"Yeah, that is weird," Nash said.

Elsa said, "Nash, did you-"

"Oh, I see it. The tree marker! We're almost there. Just past this mud valley," Nash said.

They had to crawl across a bridge made of moss-covered branches and rotten deadfall. Orange sunlight filtered through the shadowy trees, so they believed Nash was telling the truth.

He pulled back a curtain of dead leaves and vines, unveiling a clearing with the smell of campfire. A welcome change from the stink of swamp rot.

Several caravans and tents lay distributed among the meadow. Men and women did washing and carried stick bundles. Cart-toting oxen drank from buckets while children chased each other among them.

Nash walked toward them, arms spread. "Gentlemen, I told you I'd return."

"Thought you'd never come back," said a dirt-covered man stirring a bowl of soup. "And with guests, no less."

The campers goggled at the newcomers, awestruck. Their beauty and dignity betrayed their origins, despite being caked in algae and mud. More Romani gathered, examining the girls with hungry eyes. Each had the lean look of nomads, but the colorful clothes of entertainers. The criminal had led them right to his home.

Elsa growled. "You sorry-"

An elder woman with black hair and crooked back pointed her finger at her. "It's the girl with the magic hair of gold. She was born with the magic of the golden flower."

"Her hair may look gold, but it's worth a million times more. She can patch up skin, heal wounds, restore youth," said another.

"Right. And we've got her..." Nash said.

Rapunzel swallowed.

Ariel and Elsa attempted to run back into the swamp. But the Romani had surrounded them. They grabbed each of their arms. "Hey, let go of me," Ariel said.

Nash put his hands on his hips. "What do you think's going to happen? You'll lose us in the swamp?"

"Maybe," Ariel said.

Nash laughed. "I was raised in that swamp. There's a dozen of our men hiding in the trees, turning intruders around. Your lost guards? Right about now, they're finding themselves back where they started. And not a clue why."

Elsa wiggled her fingers. How could she do this? Freeze their feet? Could she immobilize all of them before they whacked her unconscious? If she got the one holding her to release his grip, that might mean leaving the others behind.

Rapunzel saw the fierce look in Elsa's eyes. "Hold on, they haven't hurt anyone yet." She turned to Nash. "What do you want with us?"

"Well, them, I don't care. But you, we've got plans for." He nodded toward a windowless caravan in the middle of camp. It stood like an elder buffalo overseeing its herd. "Bring all three."

Rapunzel saw visions of shadows, closed doors, hours and days and months trapped in a single room. Tears streamed down her face. "No, please, no, not again."

They shoved Rapunzel in first. The pungent smell of incense and camphor wafted out. Dozens of candles burned within. Elsa and Ariel followed her.

Nash grabbed Rapunzel by the elbow. He pushed to the back where a bed lay. She landed on her knees and shut her eyes. Next would come the iron collar, the cuffs, the rope, whatever it would be.

"Granny? Granny, are you awake?"

Rapunzel opened her eyes. Someone lay in the bed under the pile of quilts. A sallow, sickly old woman, head so deep in the pillow, it covered her ears. Her cheekbones protruded through her blotchy skin, like a fresh corpse.

"Granny, look who I brought," Nash said.

Granny remained motionless.

"Remember? You told us about her? It's the girl. The magic princess with hair of gold. I brought her to you." Nash turned to the two gypsies behind him. "Get her hair."

They lifted Rapunzel's tresses in armfuls and stuffed it in the bed, wrapping the old woman like a mummy.

"She can make you strong again," Nash said while they worked. He scowled at Rapunzel. "Sing."

Rapunzel said nothing. Nash kicked her thigh with the side of his foot. "Sing!"

"No," she said. This was not going to start again.

"Do it. Or your friends die."

Rapunzel winced. She took a deep breath.

Granny bolted upright. "No!" she screeched.

Everyone shirked away. She hissed through a dropped jaw full of rotted gums as her glassy eyes scanned the room. "Do not."

"But Granny, we've got her. She's here. Right now. We can make you healthy and young again. Her hair-"

"I said no."

"But... if you die, what'll we do? The troupe-"

"It is my time." She reached up a hand, thin as a twig, and cradled Nash's head. "We all have a time. Death is nature's gift to us. To deny it is greed. Is to rob the young."

"But Granny..."

"Hush. A tale is passed down from our people. There was a woman. She had great beauty. Men fought for her glance. Suitors murdered each other. But beauty does not last forever. Is not meant to. The men stopped fighting for her. This she would not accept. She try to stop it, first with creams and herbs. Bathing in lemon juice. Bee stings. Fish eggs. Spend every coin on these tricks, she does. Each rarer and more expensive. She run from country to country, like a race against one's own shadow. Uprooted us all. She became a poison to our people. Then came the dark magics. This we could not allow. And our tribe exiled her. Banished. Nearly died out, we did. Because of her. Her endless, meaningless pursuit."

Rapunzel whispered. "Was her name... Mother Gothel?"


	17. Room to Breathe

Not even the candles in the caravan dare fizzle.

"You knew her," Granny asked in a creaky voice.

"She was my mother... I thought she was my mother. She took me when I was a baby. When my mother... my real mother... was giving birth to me, she was having trouble. So they fed her this potion made from a magical golden flower. But they didn't know Mother Gothel had found it first."

"Use not that word for the witch. She is a mother to the devil only."

Rapunzel wasn't sure how to take that, so she continued. "The magic transferred to me. So she kidnapped me and took me to a tower. I never knew who I was or that I was the lost princess. Just that she was keeping me protected from diseases and thugs and things like that. And I wasn't ready for them. I was too gullible and naïve. But on my eighteenth birthday I met someone who helped me escape, and... well, we managed to take away the magic and she died."

Rapunzel closed her eyes and looked away, trying to shut out Gothel's death scream as she turned to dust. The caravan stayed silent, while tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know what else to say.

Ariel mouthed the words 'eighteen years?' to Elsa, who was just as astonished.

"Everyone! Leave us." Granny commanded. "And Nash..." She pointed her bony finger at Elsa and Ariel. "Treat these women like princesses. Or I'll hang you by your ears."

Nash backed away. "O-of course." He squirreled Ariel and Elsa out of the caravan without another word. Now it was only the old lady and Rapunzel, knelt like a woman at an altar.

"Rise, my child," Granny said. "Come closer."

Rapunzel leaned down. Granny's eyes were like black opals filled with stars. "I never knew she was one of you. If I'd-"

"Feh," Granny said. "Not one of us. Never one of us. May the devil boil her face in pitch until it cracks. Glamor hides the mark of Cain. A sundew's flower looks luscious to a fly, with droplets of water to sip. Do not forget this. Nature does not. It is full of deception. Man is no different. It is smarter than the sundew, and thus uses smarter traps. This is the advice I give you."

Granny twirled her finger around a swatch of Rapunzel's hair. "Eighteen years..." she uttered. "All that time... You have a greater spirit than mine, child. I've seen others descend into madness for less. Tell me, child--do you forgive her for what she did?"

"I... I don't know," Rapunzel said. She looked away.

"Well, don't!"

"Don't?" Rapunzel asked.

"She was a vain, selfish woman. She had no care for anyone who stood in her way. That is the worst kind of human being. If one can call her that."

"But... doesn't everyone deserve forgiveness?"

"What is forgiveness? The reprieve of sins? Release of the feelings of hate? No. She _earned_ your ire. She took away eighteen years you can't get back. Eighteen years of your life. Forgive her nothing."

"I... I don't know. When I think back, I don't remember bad feelings. I became good at so many things--music and art and crafts and baking and climbing. I remember always looking forward to the next day. And I still do."

Granny lay back. "As so it should be, child."

* * *

Ariel and Elsa held their hands over the fire. Other gypsies sat near, but ignored them, laughing and eating stew.

"She really spent eighteen years locked in a tower?" Ariel asked Elsa.

"I guess so. I didn't know. I mean..." Elsa rubbed her hands together. "I knew she was kidnapped, but I thought she was just... raised somewhere else. I thought she lived a peasant's life, stolen by a crazed woman and raised as her own. I had no idea about the tower."

"She seems so... normal," Ariel said. "I would have gone crazy if I was her. I had the whole ocean to explore and it still wasn't enough. But now that I know what she went through, I feel, I don't know..." Ariel rubbed her shoulders. "Childish."

Elsa said, "When I was eleven, they closed off the castle to control my curse. We operated on minimal staff. Limited my contact with people. Especially Anna. Sometimes I'd find Anna sleeping outside my door, and I'd carry her back to bed. I rarely left my room."

"Wow. So you were kind of alike."

"But... my exile was self-imposed. Rapunzel believed it was for her protection. Mine was to protect others." She stirred the fire with a stick. "How she made it, I'll never know. She's a stronger person than me."

"She had no one, except her 'mother'. And Pascal. I had Daddy, my six older sisters, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, a whole ocean of friends. Even on land, I started alone, but I made new ones."

"Land." Elsa looked at the sky. The sun was halfway behind the mountains.

"Oh no, I forgot," Ariel said.

"Excuse me?" Elsa asked a gypsy named Cooper. "Where are we to sleep tonight?"

"Figure you'll take one of our caravans. We can sleep under the stars." He pointed to a conestock wagon big enough for three. "I know she said to treat you like guests, but... er, honestly, that is the best we have."

"Fewest mouse droppings," another man interjected. "Due on that's where we sleep our hounds."

Elsa stood up. "Ariel and I are going to take a walk. Into the swamp."

"Er, you are?" Cooper asked.

"Yes. And if anyone follows us, they will regret it. Do you understand? I don't want any of your men in the trees following us."

Nash responded, "Ain't no one keeping track this close to camp. But you shouldn't be walking in the dark. What if-"

"You ask a lot of questions," Elsa said. "Do I have your word that we will not be followed?"

"You kept your word. I'll keep mine," Nash said.

Elsa held her head stiff as Ariel followed her. She brushed back the vines and the world dimmed. Pungent swamp gas had mellowed in the fall of evening. The dim lights of fireflies circled in the distance. Ariel used her trident as a machete, pulling back creepers and shooing animals.

"Do you have a plan?" Ariel asked.

"We need water. And we can't get it from them without raising too much suspicion."

"Right. They'll wonder why I'm taking such a long bath."

"If we can find a small pond, will you be okay? It's not salt water."

"I think I'll be okay. All I need to do is make it until morning."

They walked further into the swamp, following a stream up to its source--an overflowing pit of dark water. Moss overhung the edges, but it was clean as marshes went.

"I think this should do. We can't wait much longer anyways." Ariel took off her skirt. Elsa folded it while Ariel walked into the water, shivering from the cold.

She turned to Elsa, arms crossed over her chest. "What about crocodiles?"

"Can't you use your trident?"

"Not if I'm asleep."

"I can create a dome over the pond. Ice will keep everything out. But it might be a cold night."

"Better than being chomped on."

Elsa circled her hands. A white arc grew from one side of the pond, curving over the top. Ariel bit her lip as the hatch closed, leaving her with little light.

Elsa knocked on the dome. "You all right in there?"

"Just fine," Ariel said, lying through her teeth.

"I'll come find you in the morning. Have a good night."

Ariel played with the water while waiting for the change to come. Pain gripped her torso. She writhed, splashing against the dome's ceiling. When the transformation was complete, a lingering fire burned in her chest. She wasn't sure how much longer she could do this. Her mermaid body resisted the cold, but the darkness kept her uneasy.

Something scratched at the base of the dome. A badger curiously pawing at it?

Ariel sank into the water, hoping for the best.

* * *

When Elsa returned, she found Rapunzel by the fire. A Romani man played the lute while others laughed and clanked frothy mugs holding conversation with her. Three women weaved her hair with their bony fingers. "It's like working with spun gold," one cackled.

"Where's the red-headed one?" Cooper asked.

"She prefers to sleep alone. It's... it's how she was raised."

"That's a bit unusual."

"We're all a bit unusual," Rapunzel said. "I lived in a single room for eighteen years and my hair is seventy feet long." The gypsies laughed and continued their cups. Rapunzel's distraction had worked. "Is Ariel okay?" she asked Elsa.

Elsa sat down beside her. "I think so. She... found a pond, and wanted to 'sleep' there. I made sure she was protected."

Rapunzel nodded. "I asked Granny about Omis Ravir. She said the folk tale is that he lives in an old cathedral further west, deep in the woods. She's not sure if it's real or just a legend to scare people. Her people weren't exactly welcome near the church."

Elsa nodded. "Is he supposed to be a man? A monster? A wizard?"

"Granny wasn't entire sure. She thought it was once a man. But the stench of evil was so strong, she couldn't believe anything in there was ever human. She wouldn't even try burning down the woods, in case it survived and found its way out. Anyway, she promised to have us guided there tomorrow morning."

Someone handed Elsa and Rapunzel two bowls of steaming stew.

"Then... I guess all that's left tonight is to eat, drink and be merry," Elsa said.

* * *

In the morning, as Rapunzel finished hemming her stockings, she heard rustling vines. Elsa emerged, leading Ariel out. She was wearing Elsa's shawl.

"Are you okay?" Rapunzel asked.

"I can't w-w-wait to have this c-c-curse lifted," Ariel said. "I d-d-d-d-don't think I can d-d-d-do that ag-g-g-gain." Elsa rubbed Ariel's shoulders.

Nash finished tying his boots. The tin objects on his hiking pack jingled. "Ladies, I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"Is it far?"

Nash shrugged. "It'll take about half the morning to get there."

"Maybe the walk will warm me up," Ariel said.

They left the camp behind and traveled across the prairie. A jade forest swallowed them up, full of dense thickets and jungle vines the color of parrot feathers.

Nash led, hacking at the brush with a short sword. In the beginning, birds chittered overhead. But now deep in, only the wind creaked old boughs.

"All right," Nash said. "This is far as I'm taking you."

"We're not there yet," Ariel said.

"I'm not going anywhere closer. Sorry, miladies. I know Granny said I'd take you all the way, but I've gone further than I feel comfortable. And I'm not taking one more step if I've got breath." He pointed. "Just keep going that direction. You can see the cathedral from here, if you've a mind to climb a tree. Just don't... aw, never mind."

"What?" Ariel asked.

"Nothing. Did you bring any weapons?"

Ariel held out her trident. Elsa flexed her fingers.

Rapunzel said, "Um, should I have something?"

"I wouldn't go in with anything less than a king's battalion." Nash sloughed off his backpack. "Let's see... maybe I can give you something. There's a decent knife. It's a bit chipped. Um... Maybe I can whip up a sling, but... no, I don't have any leather." He turned the pack around.

"How about that?"

Rapunzel pointed at a cast-iron cooking pan hung off the strap.

"This? It's an old fry pan."

Rapunzel, bright-eyed, nodded. "That'll work."

Nash shrugged and unhooked it. "Okay... if that's what you want..." Rapunzel held up the pan to her chest, grinning, while Ariel and Elsa returned confusion.

Nash put his back pack on and huffed. "Good luck, ladies. May rain fall to your south and the rainbow touch your shoulder."

They waved goodbye as he disappeared behind a tall oak.

Ariel used her trident to push aside the branches, searching for the path of least resistance. All the trees were old and gnarled. The farther they went, the more grizzled they got.

Ten minutes later, they reached a clearing. Vines and dead branches draped everywhere, giving the appearance of a sun-dappled rotunda scooped out of the forest. Just beyond lay a brick facade, covered in thick bushes and ropy ivy.

"We found it," Ariel said, squealing.

The forest, try as it might, couldn't seem to reclaim the cathedral as its own. Heavy trees obstructed access to anything but the front wall. Shards of stained glass windows poked around the frame, some with branches snaking through. Weeds had grown through cracked steps and hassock melded with stone.

"That's creepy," Ariel said, pointing.

A stone statue stood in an inset above the cathedral doors. It was as big as an elephant, but shaped like a grand lion or dog.

"Some kind of gargoyle or manticore." Rapunzel said. "Should we go in?"

Rapunzel and Ariel approached, while Elsa stood back, unnerved by the statue. She couldn't figure out why it stood out to her. Empty coal-black eyes stared out from a face constructed from thick discs. Spires flared out around its neck like a mane. Something about its architectural style seemed off. Or maybe it was the stonework. Elsa couldn't put her finger on it.

Then Elsa snapped her fingers. It was the only object in the glen with no moss.

Before she could tell the others, Rapunzel and Ariel stepped on the walkway. Something started humming. The stone veneer over the statue's eyes cracked. Bright blue whorls lit up, lifeless like glass.

Stone pebbles and shards spilled onto Ariel's and Rapunzel's heads. They stepped back toward Elsa.

The monster shook its head, raining dirt and dust. It leapt off its perch. The ground trembled on landing. It adjusted its haunches, dropped its jaw, and roared.

"Oh boy," Ariel said.


	18. Omis Ravir

The manticore gargoyle pawed the ground, thick haunches rolling up on its stone body. Full length, it had to be twenty feet long.

"What do we do?" Ariel asked.

"Maybe it's friendly," Rapunzel said.

It leaped forward, charging them. Ariel dove to one side. Rapunzel to the other. Elsa stumbled back, leaving a jumbled growth of ice spikes where she stood. The beast crushed them with its stone pillar legs. It raised a leg before Elsa.

A blast of light knocked aside the canis's face.

"Hey, over here!" Ariel shouted. She held out her trident, aimed at its head.

Seeing a more immediate threat, the colossus turned towards a new victim. "What do I do? What do I do?" Ariel shouted.

"Shoot it!" Elsa said.

Ariel blasted it with lightning. Its stone head jerked back, but couldn't be hurt.

Elsa saw her chance. A smooth patch of ice spread under the monster's legs. As it stepped on, the ice cracked into a spider-web. It must have weighed tons--too heavy to slip up.

Ariel backed against the border of the clearing. "Help me, guys!"

Rapunzel backed against a tree. She heaved her hair over a branch and skittered up. After a few more wraps, she made a leaping dive off. She swung in an arc across the clearing, screaming like a savage. The beast craned to look, but its neck was too thick for a full turn.

Rapunzel landed on the monster's back. She slammed her frying pan down with a resounding iron clang. "You. Leave. Her. Alone," she said, each word emphasized with a blow from the pan.

Its eyes squinted with each blow, head bouncing with each jolt. Ariel ran back to open ground.

The beast shook its haunches like a wet dog, slower and heavier.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rapunzel wobbled back and forth until she couldn't hold on anymore. She flew off headfirst, toward a nasty fall on the hard ground.

Elsa followed her with her hand. A snow drift appeared in front of Rapunzel where she landed, buried. She popped up, a pyramid of snow on her head. "Thanks," she said.

Elsa nodded, hiding her annoyance. She had the best chance of defeating the beast, if she wasn't spending all her time saving the others. "Ariel, get behind her," Elsa called out.

While Ariel maneuvered away, Elsa concentrated on forming jagged balls of hard ice. The beast turned its head. The ice chunk fell on the monster's head, jarring it. Then another. Another. Another. All it did was make it madder. She tried bigger ones. No reaction.

Elsa gritted her teeth. She shot melted ice shards at the colossus. A jagged glaze of frost coated its head, belly and front legs. The beast shook it off, pawing away the bigger chunks.

"It's a rock, Elsa. It doesn't care about freezing," Rapunzel said while Ariel helped her out of the snow.

Elsa didn't listen. Bigger ice. More ice. A blizzard as intense as the arctic. She would bring down this monster or die trying.

Elsa's eyes faded into a white glow. Constant ice shot out of her hands. The monster ran forward. Elsa was concentrating so hard, she didn't think about getting out of the way. She had to stop it.

Ariel fired her trident. Two shots hit it in the jaw. The third sideswiped its legs.

It burbled in pain and lost its footing. Eight tons of stone slid straight toward Elsa, scraping away topsoil. Rapunzel tackled her out of the way.

When Elsa's eyes re-opened, they had lost the white glow. "You were going to be killed," Rapunzel said.

Ariel continued to pelt the beast with lightning bolts as it regained its posture.

"This isn't working," Elsa said.

Rapunzel glanced around. If they couldn't stop it with their powers, maybe something else...

"I got it," she said. "Get me on that thing." She started sprinting towards the stone monster before Elsa could ask.

The beast was beginning to turn toward Ariel. Elsa created a set of ice steps under Rapunzel's feet. She climbed up and jumped on its neck. Taking a swath of hair, she wrapped it around the monster's eyes. It roared like a bull while Rapunzel wound three more loops, making sure the beast was blind.

The beast swung its head back and forth, but Rapunzel stayed on, holding her hair like reins. It bucked up and down, each jump bouncing Rapunzel into the air. The ground shook under their feet.

"Elsa--ice barrier! Ariel--shoot the tree!"

"What?" Ariel asked.

But Elsa knew what to do. She swiped her hand across the beast's path, making a thick wall of ice. The colossus crashed through with the force of mountain meeting mountain. Dazed, it fell on its belly, legs splayed out.

"The tree! That tree!" Rapunzel shouted and pointed. A gigantic oak tree, thick as a castle pillar, leaned into the clearing.

Ariel pointed the trident and shot the tree's base with as much force as she could will. The blast blew through the trunk, sending splinters and bark flying, creating flames at the impact point.

The oak made a heart-wrenching creak, then leaned further forward. Its looming shadow shrouded Rapunzel. She yanked up her hair and dove out of the way, landing in Elsa's arms.

The beast propped itself up on one leg. The trunk smashed it back down, followed by a tremendous explosion of leaves.

Ariel rejoined her friends, panting with hands on her knees. "Everyone okay?"

"We're fine," Elsa said.

Once the chaos settled, they could see the beast struggling to stand. But the weight was too much. It made a crooning bellow, equal parts anger and humiliation. Its glassy blue eyes faded to black.

"What do you think it was?" Ariel asked. "Did Omis Ravir make that as a guard?"

"Maybe it was meant to keep him in. Like a prisoner," Rapunzel said.

"No," Elsa said. "Omis made it. A monster to keep people out."

"How do you know?" Rapunzel asked.

"Because I made the same thing."

Elsa pulled open the cathedral door and beckoned the others in. Inside was an unlit chamber held by arched roof. No altar, no lectern, just a bare pulpit. Pews had been broken away, leaving an austere stone floor. Random beams of dusty light streamed through broken bricks and cracked windows.

Their footsteps echoed down the center aisle. "Hello?" Elsa called out. "Is anyone here?"

"Someone has to be here," Rapunzel said. "That stone statue wasn't guarding nothing."

Ariel's head turned, tracking a possible shadow. "Did you see that?" Rapunzel and Elsa hadn't.

They entered the transept. Grass and moss covered the pulpit like a carpet. "Mr. Ravir? Are you here? We need to talk to-"

The doors slammed. Light fluttered like a gas lamp. This was no wind brushing trees, this was magic.

"What's happening?" Ariel asked, clutching her trident. Unearthly sounds whirled in, like groaning earth splitting.

The floor below illuminated a glyph in bright cyan. Its intricate spirals and angles stretched from corner to corner.

Rapunzel shrieked. She was suddenly levitating. Her hair streamed upward like a ribbon as she floated toward the ceiling. Elsa grabbed her outstretched hand. "Don't let go!"

It felt like resisting a hurricane wind. For a moment, Elsa gulped. As her toes were about to leave the ground, Ariel wrapped her arms around Elsa's torso. They both grabbed Rapunzel, struggling to pull her down.

Ravir had seen their fight, knew how well they'd worked together. "Don't let them split us up! That's what he's trying to do."

They managed to overpower whatever force possessed Rapunzel. The invisible energy released its hold as Rapunzel's feet touched ground.

"Where is he?" Rapunzel asked.

"Show yourself!" Elsa demanded. "We know you're here. We know-"

Wind rushed around them, forcing their eyes closed. Elsa back retreated into her friends, making a back-to-back-to-back formation. Rapunzel held her pan to protect her face. Ariel peeked through the tines of her trident. As the vortex intensified, the light around them dimmed.

"I can't see!" Ariel shouted. "Everything's dark!" Her red hair flapped in her face while Rapunzel's spun into the center of the cyclone.

"Please stop this!" Rapunzel shouted.

Elsa tried shooting her ice, but the tempest swept up the particles into its mass. Rapunzel and Ariel screamed, but the air was sucked out of their mouths. Ravir wasn't going to let them leave. He wasn't going to help them. The darkness was going to swallow them.

"Rapunzel! Sing!" Elsa said.

"Are you kidding?"

"The light!"

Rapunzel didn't sing so much as scream. "Flower gleam and glow! Let your power shine!"

Her hair's radiance flickered like a dying firefly. The vortex was sucking the light from under them. But the wind weakened.

Elsa bellowed. "Let it go! Let it go! Can't hold it back anymore!"

Ariel caught on. She sung the same tune when Ursula had taken her voice. The same that brought Eric to her. "Ah-ah-ahhhh, ah-ah-ahhhh..."

Patches of windlessness permated the air. White light exploded from the center of the vortex. Rapunzel's golden hair fell behind her in a heap. The cathedral was empty again.

"Who are you?"

The voice had a childlike timbre mixed with the brusqueness of age. They couldn't pinpoint the source due to the building's echoes. It seemed to be everywhere.

Ariel aimed her trident fiercely. "Are you Omis Ravir?"

A pause. "I know not of this person."

"Please. We need to find him," Rapunzel said. "We've all been afflicted by some kind of curse. Some arcane magic no one knows."

"Do not look to me. My business with your world ended long ago."

"Then maybe you know something? Please. We're desperate. We can't find a single person or book that can help."

A pause. "You can find no help here. No knowledge."

"But we can't leave. You're our only chance. My kingdom's at stake. All our lives," Elsa said.

The voice responded, "I live in isolation to protect myself and others. I hold no obligation to you or your people."

"We'd still like to talk to you. Can you show yourself?" Ariel asked.

A pause. "You wouldn't like what you see."

"I don't know. I've seen some pretty weird-looking fish," Ariel said.

"I'm friends with bar thugs and ruffians. Some of them have hooks for hands," Rapunzel said.

Silence. Elsa's fingers twitched. She had to suppress the urge to bellow "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. She's the princess of Corona. She holds the trident of the sea god. Unless you come down, we'll send our combined armies to tear this place apart."

But she didn't have to. Out of the corner of her eye, a form appeared as if he had been standing there all along. Ariel and Rapunzel lined up next to Elsa.

The man was gaunt--emaciated to the point where a man shouldn't be alive. His mottled, cobalt skin stretched over the bones of his arms and legs like tight canvas. A sunken cavity lay under his ribs where a healthy stomach should have been. His only clothes were a burlap waistcloth and a mantle covering his mouth. Black stringy bangs hung over opalescent eyes.

Elsa's eyes bulged. Rapunzel gasped.

"I am Omis Ravir. Look upon me. This is the magic you seek."

Elsa stepped forward. "What happened?"

"What all power does--corrupts. The more there is, the more it despoils."

"It's okay." Ariel placed a hand on Ravir's shoulder. He twitched. "We're not going to hurt you."

"I attacked you," Ravir said.

"You're not attacking us now," Ariel said. "My name is Ariel. This is Queen Elsa and Princess Rapunzel."

Ravir blinked his glowing eyes. "You have such rank, both political and spiritual. Someone has seen fit to glut you with privilege."

"We weren't always this way," Elsa said. "Rapunzel's hair should be normal, brown, and shorter. Ariel was a mermaid who became human, but now she keeps turning back. And we think the only magic capable of doing this came from an ancient cult leader named Temeris. Do you know anything about him?"

"I was a knight. A crusader and scholar. Appointed by king to seek wisdom rather than conquer lands. But I do not pretend my journey was noble. My order required small skill in necromancy. Those who stood in my way are now stains on a sword. The journey led me to the Cult of Temeris. Two others sought the same, for their own reasons, and I joined them. We discovered their crypt through fortune and will, and made short work of the remaining members. The cult's strength had withered like old men. In the catacombs, we found the three faults."

"What were they?" Ariel asked. "What did they look like?"

"Three canopic jars, containing a heart, a body, and a brain--the mortal remains of Temeris. Each of us selected one, so none could claim envy. Each took what they believed to be the stronger of the other two."

"And you took... his brain?" Elsa asked.

Ravir nodded. "All the knowledge, the cunning, the sagacity. A universe of insight. It consumed me. People, places, seemed less interesting. Hollow representations of meaning. The insipid spirals of their petty contrivances changed disregard to disgust. At first only the dregs of society suffered my wrath. Soon, no one was beneath my contempt. My loathing manifested until exile became my only recourse."

"How long have you been here?" Rapunzel asked.

"Time no longer has meaning to me. It is a human construct. You wouldn't understand." Ravir held up his hand to silence the girl.

"Are you the one who sent us a message?" Rapunzel dug out the blank letter from her knapsack. "Elsa got one too, but they're both blank."

"I sent you nothing." Ravir peered at the fine sheaf, dragging a finger down it. "But this page is not blank."

"Can you read it? Is it in some magic script?" Rapunzel asked.

"It was meant for you and you alone. The explication is tied to your soul."

"okay," Rapunzel said. "So... what does that mean? How can I read it?"

Ravir sighed. He pointed at a spot in the center of the church. "Stand there."

Rapunzel walked up to it, letter held in front of her chest.

Ravir held his arms over his head. A yellow ball formed, crackling with energy. He threw it into the air over the pulpit. It shot through the stained glass window, raining fragments around them. The girls shielded their eyes.

"Look," Ravir said.

Light streamed through where the window had broken, bathing Rapunzel in a beam of light. On the sheet of paper, etchings glowed where the sunlight struck.

"Of course," Rapunzel said. "My power comes from a drop of sun that fell to Earth. It's even the symbol of Corona. I should have thought of it before."

"What does it say?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel held out the paper and read. 

>   
>  _I haply dote on thine magician's gaze_  
>  _Command me spell bound my heart to find thine_  
>  _The sun beweeps red tears of flame from rays_  
>  _Doth brightest cans't to match thou brilliant shine_  
>    
>  _Time's tyranny of tide calls forth impart_  
>  _But tread most feather-light across its flow_  
>  _E'er contra the raucous tow of mine heart_  
>  _And bid us route to wedding's altar glow_  
>    
>  _That, lo, the nupt of fruits bloom ripe thereof_  
>  _By lost and lonely gods of yore. Let past_  
>  _And future both attend the vow. For love_  
>  _Bear guard through eyes of patience none outlast_  
>    
>  _At nocturne sweet rends mine and thou to we_  
>  _Whence join sweet Iris lock to pair'ed key_

"I have no idea what that means," Elsa said.

"What is it supposed to be? A love poem?" Ariel asked.

"I can only show you the door," Ravir said. "To walk in is your quest."

"If you didn't send this, do you know who did?" Elsa asked. "What about your two friends? Do you know where they are?"

"Not friends. Travelers of circumstance. A common goal led us down the same path temporarily. Once we had what we wanted, we left our separate ways. Their names were Lowther Vonde Brackridge and Arcius Cansteth. If one of them knows the source of your turmoil, pray it not be Arcius. That man lacked humanity before the magic corrupted him."

"Was he some kind of sorcerer too?" Ariel asked.

"I shall tell you his tale. Cansteth committed heinous crimes for the sole purpose of being sent to prison. Twelve years isolated in Ogrestone, condemned to death. For twelve years he labored in a windowless cell, preparing, refining, perfecting. Its doors never opened. Once a day, he received a tray of gruel shoved through a slot. At his trial, the only statement he made was that he would walk out of prison with a smile."

"How did he get out?" Rapunzel asked.

"The eleventh year, he begins claiming he's not Cansteth. He's an officer. That the real Cansteth is one of the guards. The officers open his cell and inspect everything, but find no evidence. Each guard that passes he tells he's not Cansteth. Every man that walks by, Cansteth yells that he's been replaced. The others ignore it, thinking he's gone insane.

"On the day of his execution, he asks for a single razor, as a last request. He shaves off all the hair of his body--twelve years' worth. The priest enters. Cansteth knocks him out. Glues his hair to the priest's head and takes his place. The priest yells that he's not Cansteth. That he was knocked out."

"And Cansteth walks out the door," Rapunzel finished.

"With a smile on his face," Ravir said.

The three girls stood in silence, contemplating what kind of man would make such a sacrifice to learn power.

"Elsa, what about your letter? Maybe the ice...?" Rapunzel said.

Elsa filched through the knapsack. She held the letter by one hand. Sparkles drifted down from her other hand, coating the paper in a sheen of white frost.

Line after line of cryptic symbols scattered across the page: squiggly lines and slashed lines and lines with other lines through them, letters and arrows and half-triangles and circles.

"What is this? A cipher?" Rapunzel asked.

"I don't see a pattern," Ariel said. "Unless... okay, so there's a line here, and a slanty shape here so... never mind. I don't get it."

Elsa stared at the shapes, waiting for some meaning to pop out at her. Was there anything magical about it what she was reading? The point of encryption was to make sure only the receiver could understand the message. Since whoever wrote it knew them, they might know enough to...

"Agh, I was so stupid. Look!"

She held the paper out to them. Rapunzel and Ariel shrugged.

"This curly-cue here. It means a divisor over Gaussian integers. It's a geometric formula."

Ariel's eyes brightened. "You know geometry. Can you figure it out?"

"Maybe. I need some tools. A compass. Graph paper."

"We have all those back at the castle," Rapunzel said. She turned to Ravir. "Will you come with us? We could use your help. You're so powerful..."

"It is for that reason I dare not leave this domain."

"It's okay," Rapunzel said. "You don't have to be afraid..."

Ravir shook his head. "My appearance is but a fraction of my antipathy. I no longer count myself in humankind. The only safe place for me is here, away from the world."

"I was shut away from the world once too. But it's easier to rejoin than you think. People would accept you. You just need to get to know them."

"My place. Is here," Ravir grunted.

"Please?" Rapunzel said. "You don't have to spend all of your life alone-"

"I said NO!" Ravir said.

The black wind rushed at them. Elsa, Ariel, and Rapunzel held their hands in front of their faces. Old paper and dry thorns brushed at their arms. The ground under their feet coiled and sprang like a trampoline. Then the wind ceased.

Bright sunlight. They were standing in a field, in front of a forest. Ariel turned around.

"Look! We're back at the castle," Ariel said. "He transported us."

"We should be thankful he didn't transport us farther," Elsa said. To Rapunzel, "Why did you make him so angry?"

Rapunzel sighed. "Maybe I pushed too hard."

Elsa sighed "It's all the better, I suppose. We couldn't force him."

"You can lead a captain of the guards to water, but you can't make him drink," Ariel said.

A contingent of royal guards was riding out to meet them--the same soldiers who escorted them. Rapunzel smiled at the story she was about to tell.

* * *

Flynn whistled a happy tune while carrying the tray of food. He knocked on the door to the drawing room. "Knock, knock," he said. "I've got some yummy treats for some hard-working girls." He opened the door.

Elsa sat alone at the long mahogany table, buried in scrolls, inkwells, pencils, and wooden doodads. She and Flynn stared at each other in uncomfortable silence.

"Oh. Where's everyone else?" Flynn asked.

She lowered her eyes back to the puzzle. "Rapunzel's with Ansel, educating him about Arendelle's tactical strengths and weaknesses. I don't know where Ariel is."

"Shouldn't _you_ be with Ansel? You're the queen, right?"

"But I'm the only one who can figure out this message. And Rapunzel knows Arendelle well enough."

Flynn carried the tray in and placed it on the table. "I thought they'd be helping you."

"Does Rapunzel know anything about hexadecimal notation?"

"Uh... I'm not sure anyone in the kingdom does."

Elsa examined the tray. "Is that coffee?"

"Sure is. I even brought milk and sugar and all that fancy stuff."

"I actually prefer tea."

"Oh..." Flynn picked up the pewter mug. "You ever have coffee before? It's great for waking up on those cold mornings."

"No, thank you. I prefer tea." She placed on the graph paper to draw lines.

Flynn pulled up a velvet chair and sat on it in reverse, legs straddling the back. "Is it tough?"

"Not for me. I just need to draw out the formula now. Means a lot of complex calculations, and I won't know if I've made a mistake."

"Gotcha. There's no tutor with an answer key." Flynn picked up a protractor, looking through the hollow space. "So what's it like being a queen?"

"Irritating. You work long hours reading documents. You grind out a deal, make a compromise, and then no one's happy. Everyone depends on you and you get no credit for it."

"So Rapunzel has that to look forward to for Rapunzel." Flynn leaned back. "But Rapunzel's eager to learn and Queen Arianna's sure happy to teach her. I never imagined I'd get along with my mother-in-law so well. But then, I have to or she'll cut off my head. Heh-heh. I bet she's just as thrilled having a thief for a son-in-law. They not only regained a daughter but earned a son."

Elsa looked up from the tops of her eyes.

"Um... on that note, I should... check how she's doing." He staggered off the chair and backed out of the room.

Elsa muttered to herself as he closed the door. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Olaf."

Flynn walked across the castle to the war room. Rapunzel and Ansel stood at a chalkboard with Arendelle's coast drawn out. In the middle of the room, there was a large table with a map and tiny boats. Pascal crawled across the ocean, shifting models around.

"The two biggest ports are here and here," Rapunzel said.

"But are they the strongest?" Ansel asked. "They may have overtaken certain defenses at this point. What are the wind conditions this time of year in Arendelle?"

"I'm not sure. They seemed fine when I was there, but they're having odd weather anyway."

Ansel turned back to the chalkboard. "I believe we should concentrate on ocean territory as much as possible, use the land for boundaries. Using the Diekplous maneuver, we can separate their ranks. I'm assuming calm seas and average depth in the bay."

"I don't know. Elsa would." Rapunzel sighed.

"And I don't think you want to disturb her," Flynn said. "I brought her some coffee and she turned it cold just by talking to me. Are you sure she has ice powers? Because she sure is a drip."

"She likes tea, not coffee. And she's comfortable working alone," Rapunzel replied.

"No one's _that_ comfortable. Even I made friends as a thief. Well, until I skipped town with the loot, but that's different. "

"I asked if she needed help and she said no," Rapunzel shrugged. "I don't think I could have helped anyway.

"Your highness," Ansel interrupted. "I have an idea. If the attack begins here..." he circled Arendelle's inlet, "we can push them to the coast. They'll have no maneuverability and no time to move into formation. They won't expect such an onslaught."

Pascal knocked one of the ships over.

"Don't let them retreat into the two surrounding fjords, or they'll have the kingdom surrounded," Rapunzel said.

"Or perhaps we do..." Ansel said. "If their fleet splits, they'll retreat, then they'll be trapped in the canals. No armada has ever won a battle on two fronts."

"Maybe..." Rapunzel said. "I'm worried about the damage they could do to the town. If they think they're not getting out alive, they'd act like trapped rats."

"One must expect collateral damage in a war. And this is only if we have to engage at all. I'm confident they'll surrender on sight."

"Or at least entreat negotiations." Rapunzel put down the chalk.

"My commanding officers are rallying all the available men, loading supplies. It's my policy to stay twelve hours away from full mobilization at any time. We will leave as soon as we're ready. Just after midnight, by my estimate."

Pascal knocked away all the ships representing the enemy off the board, whacking one with his tail.

Elsa walked through the door to the war room, holding a large sheet of paper. Several loose hairs from her tight braid wisped around her head.

"I finished decoding the letter, but-"

"You did?" Rapunzel squealed. "You got it figured out? What does it say?"

Elsa held up the paper. " I have no idea."

Rapunzel's face fell.

"It's some abstract thing." Elsa showed her a graph of concentric shapes, wavy lines, and number-value pairs along the side.

"Did you make a mistake?"

"I triple-checked everything. I'm pretty sure this is the message. All the coordinates follow a logical pattern, it just... just doesn't mean anything."

The two princesses stared at the ground in dejection. "Where's Ariel?" Flynn asked. "Maybe she could help out?"

"I think she left to explore the castle," Rapunzel said.

"What about the sonnet? Isn't she working on that?" Elsa asked.

"I've got the castle artistes trying to figure that out. They know about structure, sound patterns, form. She only knows Atlantican poetry."

Elsa grunted. "She should be doing something. Come help me find her." Elsa headed into the hallway before Rapunzel responded.

Ansel nodded. Rapunzel didn't worry about him having his tasks completed. She jogged after Elsa.

"What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked Elsa, alone in the hall.

"We're here slaving on these ridiculous puzzles and she's frippering around? I know she couldn't have helped me, but why isn't she there for you?"

"She said she didn't know much about war strategy. I think that's why she left."

"I'm getting really tired of her attitude. Her trident is powerful, but anything that requires a modicum of experience or effort she shrugs off. She thinks everything can come to her by wanting it."

"Well, maybe she's still getting used to... living in a different world. I think she's doing very well for joining a new species."

Elsa stopped a passing guard and asked him where Princess Ariel was. "I think I saw her going up the northwest tower, your majesty."

Elsa started in that direction without a thank you. Rapunzel huffed up the stairs after her. "I think her... previous kingdom was more relaxed. She doesn't like being controlled or bound by rules."

Elsa turned and gave her a hard look. "She's still a princess. She has responsibilities. It's like she forgets she has a curse. Or that we do too."

"I think she's done a lot for us," Rapunzel said. "This 'curse' has been hard on all of us. I'm sure we can figure it out, if we all keep working at it."

Elsa stopped and turned around. "That's another thing. I'm getting tired of your sunny disposition for everything. You have a non-problem."

Rapunzel scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ariel can't stay on her feet for more than twelve hours. My kingdom is under attack--by both the elements and another country. You? You have long hair."

"I just spent seven hours working with Ansel to send out ships to _your_ kingdom. We're taking money out of Corona's coffers for Arendelle, just because we're family. I'm doing this for _you_."

"And while you were there, I was all alone, doing nothing but geometry problems. Your husband came to visit me. You didn't."

"You said you didn't want us to help you."

They reached the top of the parapet. True to the guard's word, Ariel was there. She stood in the glory of the mid-afternoon sun, letting the north wind blow her hair back.

"Have you seen this view? It's breathtaking. There's mountains, rivers, plains--all in the same view! And the castle! Rapunzel, it's amazing. There's a theater, a greenhouse, two music rooms, a Turkish salon-"

"I know. I live here," Rapunzel said.

"Why are you up here? You've been fooling around while we're working," Elsa said.

"I'm not... I didn't think anyone needed my help. You're doing military stuff and geometry. I'm no good at that."

"So instead you're playing around?"

Rapunzel tugged on Elsa's arm, warning her she was going too far, but Elsa shrugged her off.

Ariel held her hands behind her back and looked away. "Well, I didn't think you needed help. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can help with now?"

"No. That could have been a little more meaningful seven hours ago, but I am done, thank you."

"If you didn't want to help, you could have at least sat in and learned something," Rapunzel added. Elsa's righteous anger was infectious.

Now Ariel frowned. "Well... what about you? You're sending ships to another country. How is that helping our situation?"

"It's helping her." Rapunzel nudged Elsa. "Part of ruling a country means assisting allies. Do you even know anything about being a princess?"

"I'm the daughter of a king," Ariel said angrily.

"So are we all," Elsa said, crossing her arms. "If it weren't for that trident..."

"Is that all you think I'm good for? Blasting things?" Ariel asked.

"Right now, that's all you're good for," Rapunzel said.

"Do you know what it's like having your legs torn apart and sewed up again every day? Do you know what I sacrificed? I almost destroyed the whole sea kingdom for these." She gestured to her legs. "I changed my entire way of life."

"My way of life was torn apart because of this." Elsa held up her gloved hands. "The first moment someone found out my power they called me a monster. I had to run away to the north mountain to live in isolation-"

"Do not bring that up," Rapunzel said. "Don't even try. I was locked in a tower for eighteen years. Is that anything like you experienced? No, it isn't. Because you only spent, like, a day up there."

Elsa backed away, hunching her shoulders. Her hands clenched and nostrils flared.

"Yeah. And it was your choice," Ariel said, joining the reversal gang-up. "Don't act like you had rough."

"Rough? You?" Rapunzel whipped back to Ariel. "Every time you talk about your adventures it's all music and parties and beautiful scenery. I swear you want to go back there."

"If I knew I'd have to work with you kind of people, I might have changed my mind."

Elsa flexed her fingers within the gloves. "Do you smell smoke?" she asked.

Rapunzel sniffed and smelled it too. Wood fires typically burned throughout the castle, but not at the top of a tower.

Ariel pointed down to the city. "Is that supposed to be there?"

A cloud plume rose from the patchwork of houses in the middle of Corona. Rapunzel's silence meant it was not normal.

"What's in that area?" Elsa asked.

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "The library!" She treaded in a circle, ensnaring herself in her hair.

"We have to get down there," Elsa said.

"Isn't there a fire brigade?" Ariel asked.

"Yes, but who better to put out a fire than a snow queen and master of the seas?"

Embedded in the tower was a pole. It held a tensile cable that reached down to the courtyard so supplies could be pulleyed up. Rapunzel hooked her hair over and slid down. Ariel followed, using her trident as the trolley. Sparks flew as the friction made a severe zipping sound.

Elsa coated her hands with ice and glided down the rope, the ground growing ever nearer. She stopped panicking when she was close enough to the ground not to break anything if she fell. Ariel and Rapunzel, one on each side, stopped her breakneck speed and caught her.

"Come on." Rapunzel led them to three horses. They raced into Corona's village.

A gathering crowd hampered their progress to the door. They dismounted and maneuvered up to the front.

Smoke curled up at the doorways and windows. Ropes of fire chewed through curtains and books. Splintered, blackened wood jutted out of the entrance like briar thorns.

"My library..." Rapunzel mumbled.

"Is anyone still in there?" Elsa asked the townspeople.

Most of them shook their heads. Then a crying child yelled, "My mommy!"

Rapunzel looked up. "Ariel and I will search. Elsa, you go around and stop the fire from spreading."

She nodded. Ariel and Rapunzel rushed in without another word. Elsa ran into the alley between buildings.

A window spewed flames. As she shot her power, the air crackled and tinkled. The forming ice fizzled as soon as the fire touched it. She tried again, coating the window frame with ice. Nothing happened, except a faint hiss of steam.

"Why isn't this working?" she muttered to herself. No matter how she forced it, the fire lapped it up. She didn't understand why the fire wouldn't let ice form--mounds of snow would appear almost instantly.

Wait, that was it. Elsa rolled her hands. A ball of snow appeared over the flames. When it dropped, the fire hissed, defeated, as white powder slumped to the ground. She walked the perimeter, dumping snow on flames as she saw them.

At the back of the building, space was tight--all shadows except for a foot-wide swath of light. Thick smoke and high-reaching flames covered the roof overhang of the library. Part of the adjacent building had already caught. Elsa pointed, hammering it with dense snowballs. A few more and the fire withered away. Elsa smiled.

Glass shattered behind her. High above, wood groaned as part of the roof broke off. A charred flaming timber dangled from a thin hinge.

Elsa summoned her power but it did nothing. The timber broke. Elsa screamed again as it tumbled down.

An explosive yellow light shot out of a broken window, pinning the timber against the adjacent building with a smack. It glowed amber before disintegrating into black dust.

Ariel poked her head out of the window. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh," she said breathlessly.

"Saved your life," Ariel grinned and returned inside.

Inside, flames rippled across the ceiling, dropping ash like snowflakes. The mural of Flynn Rider was melting into a hideous goop of colors, except for the nose.

"Ariel!" Rapunzel shouted, muffled by a layer of hair wrapped around her mouth and nose. She held up a chunk for Ariel to do the same.

They hadn't found anyone yet. The dancing light and smoke kept objects and their shadows jumping. Whoever they were looking for would have to be right under their nose.

"There!" Rapunzel stepped over the scattered small fires from books. Ariel followed her, chained like a mountain climber. One of the bookshelves had toppled onto another. Beneath, a woman reached out her hand.

Rapunzel grabbed it. "We got you." She clutched the shelf and pulled with all her might. But the shelf didn't move. Ariel joined, but they still it couldn't budge. Rapunzel regretted asking for Kingwood bookshelves.

Ariel backed up and stuck her trident in, using it as a lever. Rapunzel lifted while she pried, but it was no use.

Rapunzel pulled down her mask. "Tie my hair." The two of them wound the golden tresses around the wooden plank several times. Rapunzel tied a knot as tight and fast as she could.

"Ready," Ariel said, giving her the thumbs up.

Rapunzel launched forward, her feet dug into the floor like a carthorse. If she could pull people up a forty foot tower, she could do this. She wrenched her head forward, groaning.

The bookcase lifted. Ariel slid the woman out, wriggling like a snake.

"You okay?" Ariel asked. Coughing, the woman nodded. Ariel pushed her toward the door. "Go, go."

"Ariel, help!"

Rapunzel tugged on her the ends of the knot, struggling to free herself. Both of them pried their fingers into the hair. Their chests hurt from the constant fits of coughing.

Ariel poked the center of the trident into the knot, digging like a giant toothpick. Rapunzel pulled apart the loose threads and yanked herself loose. Ariel helped unraveled the hair from the shelf.

"Got it," they both said. Rapunzel and Ariel dashed for the exit.

The entire ceiling had cracked into a spider web, bulging like a heavy water balloon. Persistent groaning grew louder through the fiery crackle. Cracked roof beams bowed out, like spindly arms that couldn't hold anymore. And they were right under the center.

A thunderous crack sounded. Ariel and Rapunzel shrieked. They crouched and turned away.

Elsa stepped in the library entrance. Ice had never fired from her hands faster or colder. The room filled with hissing and fog, swirling everything to white.

Rapunzel and Ariel blinked open their eyes. It was eerily quiet. No sound of the fire or breaking wood. They looked up.

A thick icicle hung down from the ceiling, like a frozen wasp's nest. Blackened roof debris jutted out, caught in midfall.

Ariel and Rapunzel crab-crawled from underneath the icicle. Elsa pulled them out of the doorway. The girls embraced in a three way hug as cheers erupted.

"Saved your life," Elsa said. "You all right?" She thumbed away a smudge of soot on Rapunzel's cheek.

"Fine," Rapunzel said between coughs. "Feels like I haven't breathed in a week."

"Now I know what a fire is," Ariel coughed, "and why it burns."

The head librarian waddled up to the three of them, arms full of scrolls and documents. "Paden?" Rapunzel asked.

"Princess. Thank goodness for your help. You are a saint."

"Is everyone all right?"

Paden grinned. "Everyone is fine and accounted for. Even the fish. And I managed to save the rarest documents from the archive." He held up the pile in his arms.

"How did it start?" Rapunzel asked.

"No one seems to know. The dry paper didn't help any. Maybe a gas lamp knocked over. The fire spread like it had a vengeance to sate."

Elsa's eyes widened, locked on a scroll rolling on top of the librarian's pile. "What's this?" She plucked it off.

"Oooh, you have good taste. That's the Nordsoen monograph, one of the earliest oceanic maps of our region."

"This is it," Elsa said. "This is what I drew."

She let the others see. "I was so close to the problem I didn't see the whole thing. It's a map."


	19. Island in the Sun

Elsa's decoded graph matched a small section of coast and isles. The coordinates pointed to a volcanic island in the seas between all three of their kingdoms.

At once, Rapunzel ordered the _Barefoot Maiden_ be prepared to sail. Servants went on ahead to deliver the news while the three of them stayed to help. Rapunzel healed anyone injured. Elsa inspected the surrounding area, making sure any stray fires were out. Ariel helped with clean-up.

Before sunset, the girls rode back, heading to the docks. The few remaining crewmen were loading barrels of supplies, arranging ropes, and repairing sails.

The three of them climbed on board. Flynn stood on the deck with Maximus.

"Ansel's already on his way to Arendelle," Flynn said. "Took a scout ship. Sure was eager to get out and pound some heads."

"Good. He'll probably be there by the time we reach where we're going," Rapunzel said.

She stopped, feeling something tickle the back of her head. "No, Pascal, I told you, not this time. It's too dangerous. We don't know what we're getting into." She placed him on Maximus's saddle and gave him a pat. He groused, crossing his arms.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait? It's going to be nightfall soon," Flynn said.

"Then it's the perfect time for us to go," Rapunzel said. "I wish you could come with us."

Flynn shook his head. "We need to figure out how that fire started and how it got so out of control. Max insists we need to start while the evidence is fresh. But are you sure you don't want to bring any soldiers?"

"Fate seems determined to keep this quest to us three," Elsa said before Rapunzel could reply.

Two men walked up the deck plank, carrying a giant vat of water between them. "Princess Rapunzel, is this supposed to be on deck? It could be dangerous if it starts sliding on deck."

"I'm willing to take that risk," Rapunzel said.

"What do you need it for anyway?" asked Flynn.

Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel met eyes with each other.

"I... like..." Ariel stammered, "to take a bath under the stars. Yes, it's one of my nightly rituals. It's good luck."

"Speaking of night, it's time to shove off," Elsa said after glancing at the horizon.

The crewmen cleared the deck. Rapunzel and Flynn embraced while Maximus looked away awkwardly. Elsa pulled down the mainsail. Ariel took the wheel. Rapunzel hoisted the anchor and waved goodbye to her husband.

Once the ship was clear of Corona's ports, Ariel slipped off her clothes and jumped into the water tank. And not a moment too soon. The sun flashed before submerging into the ocean.

Ariel cringed as the transformation took place.

"You okay?" Rapunzel asked, coming to her side.

Ariel held up her finger, indicating to wait. Beneath the dark water, her legs melted together from top to bottom. Ariel released her breath. "I wonder if that's what childbirth is like. Thank you again for the tub," Ariel said.

"We missed you bunches last time. I'm so glad you can stay up here now, even if you can't move far."

Ariel sat back in her tub. "I don't think it even matters."

"What? Why would you say that?"

"Rapunzel, do you think I'm helping at all?"

"Of course! Why would you say such a thing?"

"Elsa can control ice and snow. You can heal people, plus your hair is super strong. I can't control my trident and I've got to stay out of sight for half the day."

"You are helping. Even if we weren't cursed, we'd want you along. I like the way we kind of complement each other."

"But you both have skills to make up for your faults. You know about art, astronomy, geology, strategy..."

"Well, when you have only a single room, you have plenty of time to learn," Rapunzel said.

"Elsa knows about queen things. Laws and government and national relations."

"You will too. It just takes experience."

Ariel looked into the burgeoning night sky. "I had six older sisters. I was so far down the chain of succession I never thought I'd be ruling anything. So I just played and explored and did what interested me. I never dressed up, hated putting things in my hair. My sisters got so mad when I got away with stuff. They yelled at me when I was daydreaming in lessons. One time I was late for the ball in my honor, and then left early anyway."

"You'll have your time to shine," Rapunzel said. "Believe me, it's not exciting dealing with all these politics either."

Ariel wondered if Eric felt the same way. He always got a certain look when he tried to explain something or the problem he was facing. Now, she knew it was because she always drifted away somewhere.

Rapunzel stood up. "I'm going to get some sleep before I take over for Elsa."

"I will too," Ariel said. "Good night." Her red hair swirled as she submerged. Above her, the sky wavered and wobbled through the water.

* * *

Ariel woke up in terror. She couldn't breathe. Vision blacked in and out. Her chest was about to explode. She flailed her arms until she found purchase beneath her and pushed.

Water sputtered out of her mouth. She took a great big gasp, still blind by wet hair over her eyes. Hacking, she pulled it away.

It was daylight. She was in the water vat, on the boat.

Elsa ran up to her, tipping with the motion of the boat. "Ariel? Are you okay?"

Ariel felt beneath her torso. She had transformed from mermaid to human in her sleep. The pain didn't even wake her up, if there had been any.

"I'm fine," she said. "Overslept. Do you think you could get me some clothes?"

Ariel dried off, got dressed, and joined the other two at the forecastle. Rapunzel's hands steered the wheel.

"There it is," she said, nodding forward. The island they were seeking lay straight ahead.

Ariel looked through the spyglass. The only flat land lay near the coast, where lush greenery garnished the beach. A mountainous volcanic peak in the center occupied the rest, belching obsidian ash into the atmosphere.

"Hmm," Ariel said.

"What?" Elsa asked.

"Nothing. It's just... I think this place is over the Abyss. It's an awful place. A dark chasm near Atlantica. Full of creatures I'd never seen before. The pit monsters are always feeding. They make huge undercurrents with their mouths. Makes it almost impossible to escape from."

"Good thing we're not going swimming," Elsa said.

The women anchored the ship, then took the longboat to the coast. Each wave crashed with the labored breath of a hunted animal.

The girls pulled the boat up past the tide. "Now what?" Elsa said. "Do we wait for someone?"

"Didn't the map have anything to say?" Ariel asked.

"No, it was just an outline of the island."

The girls kicked at the dirt, waiting for something to happen. No one felt comfortable moving on until they knew where they were moving on to.

Tired of standing, Elsa sat in the sand. Maybe this was all just a loss. She couldn't believe they had gotten all this way just to be stopped. What was the point of a map that only took you part of the way?

"Ohhhh. Now I get it," Rapunzel said.

"Get what?" Elsa asked. Rapunzel dug in her knapsack.

"The magician's gaze. That's what it was talking about. Look." She pointed in the distance to a jagged rock formation. "It's the rocks. It looks like a magician. See his pointy hat? And his nose?"

"Oh, I see it!" Ariel gasped. "That long thing is his arm doing a spell!"

Elsa didn't see it, but stood up. It was as good a place to start as any. They hiked up through the trees, approaching the rock site until they spotted an unusual clearing. Rapunzel burst through.

"Look!" She pointed up to the magician. "See his eye? We're under his gaze. That must be what the sonnet is. It's a way for us to navigate the island. 'I haply dote on thine magician's gaze / Command me spell bound my heart to find thine'."

"Like a treasure map," Ariel added. "So where do we go next?"

Rapunzel consulted. "The sun beweeps red tears of flame from rays / Doth brightest cans't to match thou brilliant shine.'"

"The sun's path... we follow the sun?" Elsa asked.

"Go west until we meet whatever the next thing is," Ariel finished.

Tracking the sun was difficult amid the trees, but they petered out as a smell of brimstone pervaded. Each of the girls were continually wiping their brows and drinking from the canteen.

"This island didn't look that big from the ocean," Ariel said.

"Do you hear that rumbling? Or rushing?" Rapunzel asked.

Elsa pulled back some bushes and a wave of noxious sulfur hit her nose. A rivulet of lava seeped out of the mountain, slogging down to the ocean, creating a steamy geyser.

"Oh, the red tears of flame. The sun is hot, so lava would be a river of sun's tears," Ariel said, delighted.

"So how do we cross it?" Elsa looked for a bridge, but could find none. She could make a bridge of ice, but was worried about it melting too fast. The library fire had shown her what happened if she didn't concentrate enough.

Ariel sidled along the bank toward the mountain. "Hey, there's a rope bridge here," she said. Ash and soot had so so blackened the rope, they hadn't initially seen it. Ariel stepped on, feet on the bottom rope, hands clutching the top.

"Be careful," Rapunzel called. "That rope looks a little-"

**SNAP**

"flimsy."

The bottom rope snapped. Ariel's feet dangled before the sharp tug broke the upper rope as well. Ariel screamed as she tumbled toward the lava. The rope arced, swinging like a pendulum towards the other side.

"Hold on!" Elsa said.

Ariel slammed against the cliff face, spinning like a child's toy, but kept her grip. Not far from the top, she climbed the rest of the way.

"All you all right?" Rapunzel called out.

Ariel took a few moments to catch her breath after heaving herself over the edge. "Just fine," she called out. "But how are you going to get across?"

Rapunzel tied the end of her hair into a knot and threw it over the chasm. "Tie it around that tree," she said.

Ariel tied it around the thickest tree she could find, smudging her body with soot in the process.

"Is this going to hurt you?" Elsa asked Rapunzel.

Rapunzel wound herself three times around another tree. "Not a problem."

Elsa shimmied along Rapunzel's hair, hanging like a sloth. She willed herself not to look at the river of lava, instead focusing on upside-down Ariel beckoning her across. Her shining red hair was like a beacon.

Ariel helped her up and over. "Now how are you going to get across?" Ariel called out to Rapunzel.

"Untie me!" she shouted.

Rapunzel's unwound herself while Ariel and Elsa loosed her. She shimmied up the tree to the top, then gathered her hair into a coil. Like before, she lassoed a barren tree branch on the other side. With its inertia, the knot wrapped around tight. Rapunzel gave it a few tugs, then took a breath. She had done this before after all.

She leapt off the tree branch and swung over the lava bed. The branch held--she was going to make it-

-she thought, until the hair unwrapped itself. Neither leaves nor dirt would cling to the magic hair. Rapunzel careened toward her friends, no longer arcing up.

Ariel and Elsa reached out for her. They grabbed her arms as she slammed into the cliffside.

"Phew, thanks," she said. Rapunzel smoothed out her hair and undid the knot at the end. They continued into the forest, away from the sun's river of tears.

"What's the next line?" Ariel asked.

"'Time's tyranny of tide calls forth impart / But tread most feather-light across its flow / E'er contra the raucous tow of mine heart / And bid us route to wedding's altar glow.'"

"Water. We're looking for water." They continued through the dense brush, whacking at palm fronds that got too friendly.

Another rushing sound met their ears. But unlike the last, this came from a cool frothing waterfall, ending in a torrential river out to sea. One misstep and the current would trip them, carrying them to be crushed or drowned by the rapids.

"Okay, so we're not wading," Elsa said. "And the water's moving too fast for me to freeze."

"Look at those rocks," Ariel said. "Do you think they're close enough for us to jump?"

A collection of stiff monoliths lay in the river, having avoided erosion or removal. Each had a flat surface and were spaced close enough to step to.

"I think so," Elsa said. "Who wants to go first?"

The first rock stuck out where the rushing water met the river bank. Ariel stepped on.

"Are you sure? Out of all of us, you've got the least experience on your feet," Rapunzel said.

"I'll be fine," Ariel said.

Her next target was the rock nearest the opposite river bank. As soon as she placed her first foot on it, the stone cracked lengthwise and began to sink. Ariel frantically waved her arms, straddling the rushing river. She was about to fall forward when Elsa grabbed her hand, the other holding onto Rapunzel's hair. They swung back to the bank where all three collapsed on each other.

"Okay, so that wasn't a good idea," Ariel said. "There's got to be some way across."

"Wait, read the sonnet again," Elsa asked. Rapunzel did. "Maybe that thing about time is a clue. 'Tread most feather-light across its flow'."

"But how do you fight against 'time's tyranny of tide' with a bunch of rocks?"

If the nearest rock wouldn't fall, then the key was to know which rocks would collapse and which wouldn't.

"Wait, I see it," Elsa said. "It's a clock. See how those rocks in the middle are the hands?"

Rapunzel nodded. "So we just need to trace the clock's face."

"Right." Elsa hiked up her leg and prepared to step onto the nearest rock on her left. "No... wait. It said 'contra its raucous flow'. That means..." She stepped on the right rock instead. It held her weight. "Go backwards. Counter-clockwise." The third rock held. Elsa took the lead as they all rock hopped along the semi-circle. Once on the other bank, they all sighed with relief and hugged.

"What sort of person lives here?" Elsa stuttered. "Whoever it is really didn't want to be found."

"Or wanted to be found by the right person," Rapunzel added.

The riverbank had a path to follow, so they took it. They were getting tired and sweaty from all this traveling. "At least when I turn back into a mermaid, I'll be able to wash this off," Ariel said. It felt like they had gone around the island twice now.

The path ended at an odd structure made of yellow granite. It was about twenty feet high, topped with a spire. No entrance, but inside was an archway. Through it, the main path branched into seven.

"'That, lo, the nupt of fruits bloom ripe thereof / By lost and lonely gods of yore. Let past / And future both attend the vow. For love / Bear guard through eyes of patience none outlast.'," Rapunzel read. The three looked at each other and shrugged.

"I'm assuming if we take the wrong path we'll get lost," Elsa said. They explored the area, but found no clues to the riddle's answer. Rapunzel sat in the shadowy shelter, but nothing happened. The eight paths lay before her, none distinguishable from another.

Ariel brushed away dust and moss from the shrine. There may have been an embossed engraving at one time, but weather had smoothed it away.

"Hey, there's a hole here." Sand fell out of a hole no bigger than her pinky. Ariel stuck the end of the trident inside. Dozens of tiny black spiders skittered out in all directions.

"Yarrgh!" Ariel jumped back, climbing into Rapunzel's arms. Her face grew hot. "I was not expecting that."

Elsa inserted a thin stick in. It went all the way through and poked out the other side. "Looks like it's just a hole. I was hoping it would be a button or something."

Rapunzel, cautiously, put her eye up to it. "All I can see is the other side."

Ariel walked around and looked into the hole's other side, facing where they had come from. She could see the path leading back to the river and nothing else. Elsa passed by. Ariel stood up and sighed.

"Anything?" Elsa asked. She was right behind her.

"Jeez!" Ariel said. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"Huh?"

Ariel scowled in confusion. She looked through the hole. Nothing but the original path. "Wait, do that again."

"What did I do?" Elsa asked.

"Walk behind me."

Ariel returned to the peephole. Elsa walked past.

"I can see you... somehow... looking through it this way."

Rapunzel came around and tried. Ariel walked across the branching paths behind her. "I do see you!" she said. "I don't know how, but I do. Magic?"

"Mirrors?" Elsa suggested.

"Do you see me now?" Ariel asked, strafing across.

"Not yet... now I do," Rapunzel said.

"Look where I'm standing."

The two turned. She was standing on one of the routes, feet squarely on the path.

"Oh, I get it. 'Let past and future both attend the vow. For love bear guard through eyes of patience.' Look to the past to guide the future," Elsa said.

"You have to look where you've been to see where you're going," Ariel finished.

Feeling optimistic, they hurried down the dirt road. Now they realized their path was spiraling up the mountain, further from shore. Finally they ended at the cliff face of the volcano. It appeared to be a solid wall.

Ariel knocked. "Hello?"

The three of them ran their hands along the rockface, hoping for a seam or trigger. "It can't just end here." Elsa banged her shoulder against the wall. She was tired, thirsty, dirty, and just wanted to go home.

"Look." Ariel pointed to a tiny panel, almost too small to be noticed without close scrutiny. Three pinholes in a column, next to three gems.

Rapunzel squinted one eye and pressed her nose up. "Let's see... that yellow one's a topaz, a diamond, and a red zircon. Does that have any meaning to anybody?"

Ariel and Elsa shook their heads. "There's holes. So something needs to be inserted," Elsa said.

"Is there any more to the sonnet?" Ariel asked.

"The last two lines are 'At nocturne sweet rends mine and thou to we / Whence put sweet Iris lock in pair'ed key'," Rapunzel said. "What does that mean? How can you put a lock _in_ the key?"

"Do we have to find those gemstones? Are they rare?" Elsa asked.

"Pretty rare. Maybe they're around the island?" Rapunzel said.

Ariel toed the ground while muttering to herself. "Lock and key, key and lock...a lock that's a key... lock that's the key..." She crossed her arms and played with an idle tress of hair.

Elsa scratched her head. "Ohhhhhhhh... a lock! A lock of _hair_."

"Three of us. Three holes," Rapunzel said.

"Yellow, white, and red!" Ariel finished.

Rapunzel sorted through her hair until she reached an end, then wedged it into the hole with the topaz. Ariel did her own. Elsa stuck the end of her braid in as far as it would go.

Rock cracked and groaned as dust poured from the cliff face. The stone melted away to a doorway-sized hole. A sweet smell of perfume wafted out.

"I guess we go in," Elsa said. The floor had an ornately decorated platform, lacquered in gold trim and wisteria velvet that felt pleasant on their worn feet. As soon all three had stepped on it, the platform jerked to life and rose at a slant.

"What's happening?" Ariel asked.

"Just hold on," Elsa said. The three of them interlocked arms so no one would fall. "I think we must be going to the top of the mountain."

The darkness was unnerving without anything to gauge their progress. Then at the top, light reflected off some kind of gold frame. The platform stopped short, ending at a lavish room worthy of a sultan. Purple and blue body-size pillows lay scattered on the floor, next to glossy tables filled with fruit. Sapphire and emerald tapestries hung between thin violet curtains. The room smelled of lavender and vanilla.

The three stepped out. All three were hungry and tired, but too nervous and polite to simply start partaking.

Then a door at the north end of the room opened. A young, blond man came through, wearing a gold-trimmed white robe with wide triangular shoulder pads. His outfit reeked of old magic, but his face was that of a twenty-year-old, not an experienced wizard. He walked in confidently, a boyish smile on his face.

"Welcome," he said. "My name is Arcius Cansteth."


	20. Dawned on Me

Elsa, Ariel, Rapunzel, and Arcius stared at each other. He looked as if he were waiting for them to make the next move.

Ariel leaned in to the others. "What do we say?" she whispered.

Elsa stepped forward and curtseyed. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. This is Princess Ariel and Princess Rapunzel."

"Yes, I know." He walked up to them and kissed Elsa's hand. Then he embraced Elsa in a hug, to her surprise. He smelled sweet and clean. "I am so glad you made it. I was afraid there were too many obstacles in your path. Or you might choose the wrong direction," he said, after embracing Rapunzel and Ariel in turn.

"So you sent us these letters." Rapunzel pulled out hers.

"I did," Arcius said. "And I'm glad you were able to decipher them. Encryption is a difficult skill to master. It requires almost a mind-to-mind contact. And I apologize for all your hardships in getting here. I needed to make sure you and only you could find me."

"So you wanted us to come here?" Ariel asked. "Why?"

"We'll get to that. Believe me, I know your problems and I have every intention of helping you. But you must be hungry and tired. You've been working under such unnecessary duress. Let us discuss over a meal. We can fill our bellies and rest our bottoms."

Ariel giggled. Arcius clapped his hands.

A door leading to the west opened, leading to a well-lit hallway. "Down the hall is a room to freshen up in, clean clothes to wear. In the meantime, I shall prepare our repast." With a swish of his cape, he exited the way he came.

The hallway ended in a large, lavish dressing chamber. In the middle of the room sat a round table divided into thirds. Each of the three wedges faced a different vestibule, where a hot bath lay waiting.

"Wow," Ariel said.

"Yeah... that's all I can think of... wow," Elsa said.

Ariel pulled open the closet door, a room in itself. Dozens of elegant clothes lay hanging or folded inside the wardrobe. Ariel picked the dress that appealed to her the most. It was tailor made to her size and color.

"This all seems a little weird," Elsa said. "Are we sure he wants to help us?"

"At least he didn't attack us," Rapunzel said. "On the other hand, I don't know many good people that live alone in an island volcano lair."

Ariel said, "Ravir was living alone. Maybe having all that power makes you feel distant from others."

"Ravir was living in squalor. Arcius is living like a sultan," Elsa said. "I don't know. Something feels off."

"We're keeping our eyes open," Rapunzel said. "This isn't the first time people claimed to be helping us, right?"

"Right," Elsa and Ariel said, almost too loud.

The three of them took baths in water that never seemed to lose temperature. Each vanity had an assortment of make-up and powder individually attuned to their skin tones and colors. After all the rugged hiking and traveling, dressing up for a formal setting was actually pleasant. They couldn't stop complimenting each other on how elegant each looked.

"Ready?" Elsa asked.

They exited the dressing chamber to the central room. But it was no longer there. Or had been altered within an impossible timespan.

Before them was now a banquet hall with table settings for four--three chairs on one side, the fourth at the head. A magnificent chandelier of interlocking gold candelabras hung from the ceiling. Each setting had a glass already filled with white wine.

Favorite foods filled the table. A steaming pot of proper tea lay on a stone slab, exuding with earthy aroma. Ariel's eyes lit up at the sight of seaweed pasta. She hadn't had that since she was a child. Rapunzel salivated at the fruit pies.

Amid these were plates of spiced squash, stuffed peppers, cherries in sweet cream, oatbread, spiced plum mousse, and fig tarts. The three main dishes--roasted honeyed chicken, ham studded with cloves, and chopped mutton--lay like landmarks in a sea.

They pulled out their chairs and sat down. At that moment, Arcius came through the doors, wearing a more subdued robe with the same color scheme.

"Ladies, you look absolutely lovely. If every blade of grass were a quill and sky made of parchment, I could not begin to write of your beauty."

Ariel blushed. Rapunzel grinned. Even Elsa couldn't help but smile.

"I hope everything is to your liking. Please let me know if there's anything missing or tastes off," Arcius said.

"You made all this? Through magic?" Rapunzel asked.

"I did," Arcius nodded. "Please eat. I know you're starving. There's no need to stand on formalities here. We're all peers."

Ariel was the first to start taking food. The rest followed.

"Tell me, there must be an entertaining story on how you finally decoded the messages?" Arcius asked.

"We met Omis Ravir," Ariel said. "He helped us."

"Omis Ravir..." Arcius took a sip of wine. "I didn't know he was still around. Good for him."

"He was living in an abandoned church, all alone. He said the magic had corrupted him," Rapunzel said. "He didn't even look human anymore."

Arcius sadly nodded. "Yes, it is easy for power to force one's desire toward isolation. I am no different."

"But you don't seem like him," Elsa said.

"I was lucky to avoid the consequences Ravir did. But only through harsh discipline. It is a fine line to walk for mortal man to degenerate into turpitude. Power only thins the line further. Once I had taken the mantle, my journey had only begun. But I had good teachers."

"Was one of them Dame Naidra?" Ariel asked, slurping up more seaweed pasta.

"Ah, Dame Naidra..." A boyish smile appeared on his face. "Now that's a name I haven't heard for a while."

"She's the one who told us about the cult of Temeris," Ariel said.

"She's a strong woman. I admired her for that. I met her near the end of my odyssey. She was something of a student herself at the time, but she yielded remarkable self-control for someone so young."

"She's not that young anymore," Ariel said.

"Wait a minute," Elsa said. "You knew Dame Naidra when she was younger? How old are you?"

Arcius grinned. "As old an idea, but younger than thought. Yes, the magic does increase one's longevity but it's no path to immortality. As to answer your question, I'm afraid I don't know," he said with a laugh. "The moment one stops keeping track of time is the moment it becomes lost forever. I simply had no need to track the hours and days anymore. My self-imposed isolation saw to that."

Elsa said, "Then do you-"

"ERRRK..." Ariel seized up, dropping her fork with a clatter. She strained against the chair, eyes closed, teeth grinding.

"Ariel?" Rapunzel said.

"Sunset," she said through gritted teeth. "No windows. Couldn't tell..." Silver and china clanged as Rapunzel and Elsa sprang up. They lay her down on the floor.

Arcius stood, looking alarmed. "She's turning back into a mermaid, isn't she?"

Rapunzel and Elsa looked up, stunned.

Arcius wiped his mouth hastily. "Let me help."

He waved his hand and fluttered his fingers. A gentle dusting of gold particles rained over her, settling on Ariel's kicking legs before disappearing.

Ariel released her held breath. Her legs dropped to the floor.

"There. The curse is removed. You should no longer change form," Arcius said.

"You removed it? Just like that?" Ariel asked.

"Yes. Again, I cannot apologize enough for all I've put you through. This was all a misunderstanding."

" _You_ put the spell on her?" Elsa asked, matter-of-factly. "On all of us?"

"Yes."

Elsa and Rapunzel helped Ariel to her feet. "You made Rapunzel's hair grow long and my kingdom covered with ice."

Arcius sighed, jowls drooping. "Yes. I am the one responsible."

"Can you undo it?" Rapunzel asked.

"I could. But..." He tapped his chin. "Let me show you something first."

He turned and entered the double doors at the end of the banquet hall. Ariel, Elsa, and Rapunzel hiked up their skirts and followed him. They headed down a set of stairs, deeper within the mountain, until they reached a bridge.

The bridge crossed over a tremendous chamber--thousands of feet up, thousands of feet down. And eerily silent. At the top, the roof contained a jagged hole where they could see the orange sky. Down below, darkness covered all, but they could smell the tang of salt and lapping water.

"This is the inside of the volcano," Rapunzel said.

"The very core. The sky above and the sea below," Arcius said.

"You hollowed it out?" Rapunzel asked.

"This is the center of my world. It makes an effective playground for my practice. The rooms you saw, I hardly ever enter. They are for the benefit of guests."

They began crossing the bridge. Ariel made the mistake of glancing toward the terminal abyss that awaited with a slight misstep and got dizzy.

There was a single stand of chromium metal at the end. It had a large concave dish on top, like a birdbath. A shallow pool of blue liquid lay inside the alabaster dish. Not water, though it was as translucent and thin. Arcius beckoned them to gather round.

"Do you see it?" he asked.

At the bottom lay a microscopic granule, gleaming in the skylight.

"That," Arcius said, "is a grain from the sands of time. It's small, but there's immense power in it. Astronomical, world-shifting power. Power over time itself. And that, dear ladies, is where the root of your problems lie. You see, within one of my earlier operations there were elements that led to this becoming..."

"Reverted?" Rapunzel said.

"Yes. Spiritually speaking. It's complicated, but that's accurate to say."

"Where did this come from?" Ariel asked, eyeing it as a fine piece of jewelry.

"I'm afraid that story would be... incomprehensible. I wish I could tell you, it's fascinating. But there are no words for certain things I experienced."

"Wait," Elsa said, "So this grain of time somehow brought things back to how they were before?"

"It was a complete accident, I assure you. I can never apologize enough for the harm it's caused," Arcius said.

"With Ariel and Rapunzel, it kind of makes sense. But your 'operation' caused a huge ice storm in my town. How is that a reversion?"

"I apologize. This is all difficult to explain without foreknowledge. The results weren't simply a linear change or crossing of time streams. It was more of an... an echo. It brought out the innate natures of a previous time, before certain events had occurred. In each of your cases, fundamental life-changing events made a... I suppose a 'backslide' would be an appropriate term. For you, Elsa, your crisis was more wide-spread than personal."

Elsa shook her head. "I don't understand this at all. But do you have the power to change everything back?"

"Oh yes," Arcius said. "Absolutely. Of course... but... I was hoping you would listen to my proposal at first."

"Proposal?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yes, you see. My original intention wasn't to harm you. I was trying to summon you."

"Summon us?" Elsa asked.

"Yes. You three possess unique traits that intersect multiple spheres of nature. Your original form," Arcius said to Ariel, "Your connection to life essence," to Rapunzel, "And your inherited magic," to Elsa. "These omit you from the effects of the grain of time, no matter how hard I try."

"It sure seemed to affect us," Elsa said angrily.

"Yes, and therein lies why the experiment went wrong. It was totally unintentional. But my ways of making contact are limited, if I want to preserve my security. I sent those letters as soon as I could to encourage you forward. I'm afraid my roundabout methods only caused delays."

"But there's a way to undo it? Or fix it?" Ariel asked.

"Yes, but-" Arcius pointed a finger. "Let's first establish whether we want to do such a thing. Of course, your kingdom," he said to Elsa, "must be righted as soon as possible. I have already managed to remove the ice."

"Well, thank you for that," Elsa said. "But what about the clouds?"

"And my hair. It makes me a target," Rapunzel said.

"I'm not saying that it isn't issue. But what you girls don't realize is that, with your gifts, there is much untapped potential. Elsa has the power to freeze more than just ice. Rapunzel has the power not just to heal but to return life itself. Was that not done for your spouse?"

Rapunzel remembered when her hair had been cut, her powers gone, as she wept over Flynn's body. Her falling tears healed him, but she had always thought that was because he wasn't completely dead yet.

"And Ariel... you have the power of a god at your fingertips."

She held out her trident, looking at it.

He hunched toward them, as if telling a secret. "Imagine what the three... no, the four of us could do if we united."

"Like what?"

"Like turn back time." Arcius grinned. "Think about it. Even with the powers we each possess we are still held back by our human natures. We trust the wrong person or misunderstand another or simply run out of days. We're only limited by our inability to correct mistakes. Does that seem fair?"

"Are you saying we can go back in time?" Rapunzel asked. "Go back and... change things?"

Arcius made eye contact with Elsa. "Elsa. You could have the time back that you missed. Spend your formative years with your sister, out in the open, embracing your power instead of fearing it. Ariel, you could do so much knowing what you know now. You could stop the death of your mother. You could unite humans and merpeople. Rapunzel..." He bowed his head, clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Eighteen years. Eighteen years living under a lie. Eighteen years locked in a tower, in a single room, waiting for your life to begin. You'll never have those years back. But what if you could." His eyes bulged. "You could be a child again. You could have a mother and a father. You could have friends, toys to play with, the joy of growing up all over again. In the way you were meant to. You can have that."

"And you?" Elsa asked in a flat tone. "What would you do?"

Arcius straightened. "What _wouldn't_ I do? With this kind of power my sorcery would turn obsolete. It... it would change everything. Every slight, every oversight--gone. Erased."

"You have time you want erased too, then?" Elsa asked.

Arcius sighed. "Yes, yes, I do. You refer to the time I spent within incarceration, I think."

Elsa nodded.

"A human life isn't without some regrets. I wanted to be powerful, but controlling such divinity takes commitment. Discipline. I needed isolation, confinement, time. There is no better place for that than prison."

"But you had to do something to get there."

"It was a victimless crime. I've never wanted to harm anyone, I assure you. But even after those twelve years, I wasn't strong enough. I knew the heart of Temeris would take time to master. Now that I have, the only thing stopping me is the limits of my human form. But with you..."

He reached out his hand.

"We could perform miracles."

The girls glanced at each other. No one wanted to be the first to speak.

Arcius pulled back his hand. "You look apprehensive. I understand. You don't have to decide anything now. Sleep on it. Stay the night. You've learned a great deal in a short amount of time. I'm sure you're quite tired. Let me show you to your rooms."

Arcius led them back across the bridge. He opened a door into a hallway and gestured them to enter.

"Good night ladies. When you are prepared in the morning, just ring the bell. You should have better dreams tonight than in any days past."

Arcius shut the door behind them once they walked through. The hallway ended in vast chamber. A picture window looked out onto the ocean. Three king-size canopy beds lay in a row against the wall, facing three dressing shades and vanity mirrors. Each desk contained basic essentials--water, hair ties, and a pillow smelling of their homeland. Balsam & pine for Elsa, honeysuckle & vanilla for Rapunzel, and sharp tropical and citrus fumes for Ariel.

One by one, they changed for bed, then returned to their spots. Rapunzel approached the picture window, awed by a living painting. She imagined she was overlooking the entire world. Ariel sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her feet along the embroidered carpet.

"So..." Elsa said humbly. "What, uh... what do you all think?"

Nobody answered for a full minute.

"I... I don't know what to think," Ariel said. "The idea's so huge, it feels like it won't fit in my brain."

Rapunzel nodded. "It's a lot of power."

Elsa looked at her uncovered hands. "Too much power can be a bad thing."

Ariel spun her trident idly. "But it _can_ be used for good."

"How do we know it'll be good?" Elsa asked. "How do we know what will happen at all? What _if_ mermaids and humans became united? That would change the world."

"But think about all the other things we could do. All the good things," Rapunzel said. "Prevent wars. Stop accidents. Warn people before earthquakes or storms. Your parents wouldn't have died."

"You would never have been locked in a tower," Ariel said.

"But you also would have never gotten your hair. If we warned anyone about Mother Gothel, she might try something harsher than just kidnapping."

"But we could fix that. We could tell her not to use the flower. And then..." Rapunzel trailed off.

"And then you would never be born," Elsa finished. "I don't know what will happen if you start reaching into the past to change things."

"But it's not like we only have one chance to get it right," Ariel said. "If you don't like how something turned out, you can always change it."

"That's what bothers me. It's like taking back moves in chess. It changes the game. In fact, it makes it never end. You could drive yourself crazy thinking like that--what would have happened, what might have happened," Elsa said.

"But... if you can always go back to change things, you always have the time to plan it out," Rapunzel said.

"That's right," Ariel said. "We have all the time in the world. We have a grain of time."

"I'm not trying to advocate against it," Elsa said. "Lord knows I'd love to live a happier life."

"We could do that," Rapunzel said. "We could save all the Elsas and Ariels and Rapunzels."

"We could..." Elsa agreed.

Silence. And in that silence, one of two unspoken decisions hung in the air. All that remained was for one of them to grab it.

* * *

In the morning, the three of them entered the volcano's cavity, the centerpiece of Arcius's refuge. Sure enough, he was there, standing over the altar, gazing into the pool. Perhaps he had been there all night. Maybe he didn't need to sleep anymore with his level of magic.

Arcius didn't acknowledge their presence until they a few feet away. He straightened up.

"Good morning," he said. "I didn't expect you this early. But I'm glad you stayed. You could have run off and escaped the island, told everyone where I was. Shall we have breakfast?" Arcius started to walk back across the bridge.

"Before breakfast," Elsa said. "We wanted to let you know--we're not interested in what you're planning."

"Really?" Arcius said. "But why?"

Elsa sighed. "It... it sounds like a good idea. And I'm sure it could be. But it's just too complex. It raises too many questions."

"But isn't it still worth using?" Arcius asked. "Power over time itself. You're right, it is complex. But to make the world right--to bring peace and prosperity and unity--isn't that worth it? It's not even a matter of chance. I _know_ we could get it right. There's no way we couldn't."

"But that's my point," Elsa said. "How far do you plan to go to 'get it right'? How far back do you go to change things? All the way back to the dinosaurs?"

"You'd be constantly starting over," Ariel said. "And over and over and over and over, every time something you didn't like happened."

"But it's not just me deciding," Arcius said. "It would be all of us."

"I don't want to decide," Elsa said. "I'm a queen. And I already think I have too much power."

"We all know what it's like to rule a country," Rapunzel said. "Ruling over time... I don't think we should try."

Arcius looked aghast. "Princess Rapunzel? Even you think this? You were a child slave, shown so little love and kindness. Your entire world was defined for you. I thought you over all would understand."

"Maybe I do," Rapunzel said. "But that doesn't mean I'd choose to turn it into something else. Without it, I wouldn't have learned astronomy or baking or art. I wouldn't have met my husband. It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't torture."

Arcius paced across the narrow breadth of the bridge. He scratched the back of his head. "I don't understand this," he muttered. "How could you say no? It's what you all wanted out of life. A chance to make it all better. To stop the wounds of the world before they even start."

"We appreciate the offer," Ariel said. "It's just... not for us."

"But I _need_ you for this. I can't do it alone. There's no one else." He approached Rapunzel and held her shoulders. "There must be something I can say to convince you. What about me? Without this all my work will evaporate. I've dedicated my entire life to this. Don't tell me it's all been for naught."

"Well, it's not like you're out of time. You're still young. If you want, we can help you find a new-"

" _This_ was how you were supposed to help." Arcius shook her by the shoulders. "You've got to agree."

Elsa frowned. "Hey. Watch it."

"Sorry, sorry." Arcius raised his hands and stepped back.

"You gave us a choice. And we made it," Elsa said. "I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted to hear. "

Arcius rubbed one hand with the other, massaging his knuckles.

"Thank you for the hospitality, but we need to go," Elsa said.

He pursed his lips over and over. "I'm afraid that's no longer an option."

Elsa, Ariel, and Rapunzel opened their eyes wide. "You need to let us go now. Turn back the curse. Let us on our way."

"I'm afraid I can't," Arcius said. "Not because of the exposure of my location. I'm not worried about any defense force. But the gifts you have are far more important than yourselves. Elsa can freeze anything. Rapunzel can give immortality. Ariel has the power of a god. She can control more than half the earth."

"We told you," Ariel said. "We're not giving you any of our power."

Arcius smirked. "If you won't give it, I'll TAKE IT." He reached out his hand.

Rapunzel floated into the air, as if grabbed by an invisible giant. Elsa and Ariel reached for her, but it was too late. The golden hair wrapped around her like a ribbon, kinked in different parts, flashing like lightning. Each jolt left her hair with less luster and made her shriek in pain.

"Let her go!" Elsa said.

Ariel fired her trident. A blast of lightning hit Arcius in the shoulder. He barely acknowledged the impact. She fired again. Arcius held out his hand and absorbed the energy into his palm.

Elsa threw her arms at Arcius. A white jet encased Arcius's legs in solid ice. Arcius gestured his free hand at his legs. The ice melted as if under a hot lamp. "Keep testing me. Really."

Elsa and Ariel looked at each other.

Ariel pointed her trident at the altar. "I'll destroy the grain of time."

Arcius laughed. "If I can protect myself against your power, wouldn't I set up the same wards for what I hold most dear? And you know..." He held out his arm. An aura of energy began to grow, white hot like a star. "I only need one of you for this."

Ariel swallowed. In a panic, she fired her trident. The beam hit Arcius square in the eyes. He screamed and fell back.

Rapunzel fell from the sky. Elsa ran to catch her. The three of them fell in a heap.

"You all right?" Elsa asked. Rapunzel gulped, but nodded.

Arcius stalked toward them, both arms outstretched. "What have you done? I can't see-"

Rapunzel whipped her hair at Arcius's leg. It wrapped around his ankle. She yanked and his feet slid out from under him. He landed on his back, buying them a few seconds.

"We need to get out of here," Elsa said.

Ariel looked over the edge of the bridge. "Jump!" she said.

"Are you crazy?" Elsa and Rapunzel said at the same time.

"Just do it," Ariel said. She gripped her trident with both hands. "Trust me."

Elsa flashed back to Ariel's childish distractions. But she ran.

"Go! Go! Go!"

With a nudge of the trident, Elsa and Rapunzel dived into the abyss. Ariel followed. Their screams echoed in the hollow chamber. The wind pressured Ariel to close her eyes, but she kept them open. Growing darkness began to swallow them. Before they disappeared from her view, she aimed her trident. The weapon hummed with golden energy, then fired.

They hit the water hard. The water hit hard back.


	21. The Abyss

Elsa opened her eyes. Everything was dark and cold, but there was a feeling of encapsulation, like the pressure of a heavy blanket.

She groaned. "What happened?"

Cautiously, she lifted herself up, pushing against the spongy ground. But when she moved her legs, one didn't respond. Did she lose it in the fall? Was she an amputee? No, because no leg was missing. It had become one powerful leg, covered in ice-blue scales.

Elsa's jaw dropped. She wiggled her hips. The tail moved with it. Her knees had disappeared. Instead, the tail extended from her spine, making it flexible enough to touch her toes to her head. If she'd had toes. Where they should have been was a thin, fleshy swath of gossamer silk.

Next to her, Rapunzel groaned. She lay on her side, blanketed by the mass of hair surrounding her like a cocoon. She rose as if from a slumber. "Elsa? What is-"

She stopped as she made her own realizations about her body. Brushing away the hair revealed a pinkish-purple tail where her legs had been.

Rapunzel sprang up. In air, she would have come back down, but in water, she stayed floating. Her yellow hair unraveled behind her. "We're mermaids!" She swayed her tail back and forth.

Ariel swam towards them. She was a mermaid too, wearing a bra made from lavender clams. "How do you feel?"

"Bizarre," Elsa said. "What happened? The last thing I remember is jumping off the bridge."

"I transformed us mid-fall into mermaids."

"You can do that?" Rapunzel asked, pulling away the hair gathered in her face.

Ariel nodded. "Here, I found these for you." She handed them each a brassiere made of clamshells much like her own. Rapunzel's was lilac-colored, like her tail. Elsa's matched her chiffon hair.

Rapunzel secured her bra under her dress and discarded her human garb. The support was comfortable and the stronger covering soothed her sensitive areas. "All the mermaids I've seen in paintings are nude," she said.

"Sure. If you like getting slapped in the face with a bag of fat every time you turn," Ariel said.

"That makes sense-pfft." Hair had floated into her mouth. "Now if I could only see."

"Here, I can help." Ariel swam behind her and unraveled the wispy mass. She snatched handfuls of hair and began winding them together, forming a complicated braid. "You can't grow up a mermaid without knowing how to do hair. It's a mermaid fashion to have it long and flowing."

"Doesn't the water make it hard to shape?" Rapunzel asked.

Ariel shrugged. "It's the fashion. My sisters know more than me. They spend hours putting in accessories and decorations. But at least this'll help you blend in."

"Blend in?" Elsa asked.

"Until we figure out what to do. We should stay down here for a while. Arcius needs to recover and I don't think he can find us. If he could, he would have come after us already."

"We did blind him, at least temporarily. That means he might not have any idea where we are. I think it's a good idea to stay. At least until we figure out what to do." Her hair done, Rapunzel turned to look at it. The plait whipped behind her like a streamer.

Rapunzel started to rotate upside down from the motion. She wiggled her tail and flailed her arms. Nothing happened.

Elsa pushed herself upward to help. She remained still, then floated to the sand like a leaf.

Ariel collapsed in a fit of giggles. "You can't act as if your two legs are tied together. It's like a wave. Here, watch me." She positioned herself horizontally. "Swish and flick. Swish and flick."

They both tried. Rapunzel bunching up her tail to herself and extending it, resulting in no forward movement. Elsa found herself moving backwards.

When Ariel could stop herself from laughing, she helped her friends correct their mobility. After a time of wiggling, writhing, and piteous cries for help, they started to understand. Elsa thought of it as a ululation--an unwinding of the body from slow to quick, like a whip. Rapunzel imagined rolling hills, following their motion one after another. Regardless, an half-hour's teaching and they were able to keep up with Ariel. Then they let loose, exploring movement in a three-dimensional space.

"Whee!" Rapunzel said as she dive-bombed the two of them.

Elsa and Ariel floated out of the way. Rapunzel arched up from her swoop, kicking up a cloud of sand.

"Look at this." Elsa raised her arms and looped in a vertical ring until she got dizzy.

"Watch this!" Rapunzel threw her hair behind her and swam in a slow spiral wave. The hair followed in the same spiral, creating a unique trail behind her.

Elsa laughed. "How about this?" She kicked backwards, then bumped against a rock. "Ow. Is this all the lighter it gets?"

"We're in the Abyss now," Ariel said. "Unfortunately, we landed right in it. It's very deep. And there's a big flow monster that stops anyone from climbing out. The people here... well, I guess it's like the crummier parts of a town."

"Then maybe it's time to get out of here?" Rapunzel said, looking up at the strange plant that had been following them like a spotlight.

Ariel picked up her trident and led the way out of the crèche, into darker areas lined with rock formations and porous coral. Rapunzel hummed, creating a soft light from her hair that helped ward off some of the darkness.

Ariel noticed Elsa looking around nervously, like everything was going to attack her. She remembered feeling the same way the first time she was here. It seemed silly now that she was older, although she wouldn't have gone near this place without the trident.

A school of tiny fish shaped like bees with angler antenna passed by. They peered at Elsa, then scuttled off in fear. Seaweed hands reached for them. Elsa and Rapunzel swam a little higher, brushing against a giant pink anemone shaped like a flower. Ariel pulled them away before the fronds reached for them.

"It's okay, we're almost there," Ariel said. She gestured above, where a ribbon of bluer water could be seen. "Just need to get behind this ridge. And once we get there, I can-"

Ariel peeked out over the edge. Something felt off about this area. Too empty. Too warm.

"That's funny...where are the flow monsters?" She scanned the seascape waiting for one of them to rise out and create a sucking vortex. But nothing happened. She couldn't even find their habitats. She swam to the middle of the clearing and looked around. Maybe they died?

Elsa and Rapunzel swam to her. "So... can we just go up?"

"I guess," Ariel said. It had been two years since she was last here. Maybe monsters had moved on, or-

A large shadow covered the ground. The three of them turned. A giant, pallid octopus rose behind them. One of its tentacles dropped like a falling tower.

"Look out!" Ariel said.

The three of them scattered. The tentacle landed on Rapunzel's hair. She jolted forward. Another tentacle wrapped around her, pinning her arms.

"Help!" She thrashed as much as she could, but only succeeded in wiggling the tip of her tail.

Ariel aimed her trident, then realized she didn't want to risk hitting Rapunzel. Instead she fired lightning at its body. White scorch marks appeared. It burbled in pain, but didn't release Rapunzel.

The octopus spurted forward, dragging tentacles as thick as trees. Its single gigantic eye darted back and forth, tracking their movements.

"Take this!" Elsa thrust her hands. Instead of shooting out frost, ice enveloped her hands. She tried again. The ice thickened and crystals spiked up. Something about the water was interfering. Ice couldn't travel like it could in air.

"Help me!" Rapunzel said as the octopus waved her back and forth.

"If I can't freeze you, I can punch you." Elsa swam up to the octopus's bulbous head and thrashed its head with her ice fists. The amorphous head swayed like a sack of grains. Its skin was too thick to damage, evolved from the underwater pressure.

Elsa dodged an incoming tentacle and swam up to the octopus's central eye. The oily inkspot pivoted to her. Elsa shoved her fist into the gooshy vitreous. The octopus uttered a monstrous groan and squeezed its eye shut.

"Ha-ha!" Elsa raised her arms in triumph.

A tentacle slapped itself across the eye. Elsa couldn't position her awkward tail in time to evade. One of the suckers scooped her up by her back, then wrapped around her. "Let go!" Elsa pounded on it with her ice fists.

Ariel dove and leapt as the arms collapsed around her. She was in her element, performing aquabatics few mermaids could. One tentacle swept at her. She leapt over it and spiraled underneath the next.

How was she going to get her friends free? She could shoot it all day, but it would only make it madder. Elsa had even punched it in the eye. Any normal creature would have run away after that. With its thick skin, living in so little light, it must have-

That was it. Ariel stopped dodging and floated into vacant water. "Here I am!" she shouted. "Catch me!"

"What are you doing?" Elsa asked, neck craned back.

The octopus shot out a limb. Ariel kept her arms pinned to her sides, trident pointed down. The tentacle slithered like a snake, gluing her in its clutch.

"Gotcha!" Ariel said. Both Elsa and Rapunzel looked at her quizzically.

A bright beam of light shot downward, splashing against the rock floor. The beam grew wider and thicker. Ariel started to rise up, as did the tentacle trapping her. The octopus, keeping its grip, began rising too. Ariel led the way, with the octopus along for the ride. Elsa and Rapunzel hung at the bottom with the other limbs.

Like a meteor in reverse, they rose past the craggy rock formations of the crevice. Finally, they burst out of the canyon into blue light. The octopus screamed. It covered its cycloptic eye with two free arms. Elsa and Rapunzel struggled free.

Ariel readied her trident, in case it retaliated, but the octopus turned around. With one great push, it sank bank into the chasm.

Elsa and Rapunzel came up to Ariel's side. "I hope he isn't hurt," Rapunzel said.

"I hope he _is_ ," Elsa said. "Then he'll think twice before coming back."

"I hope all gargantuans are confined to the ocean's bottom. All the nastiest monsters I've read about live in the sea," Rapunzel said.

Ariel laughed, waving it off. "I've dealt with worse. And that was without the trident. Sharks, bad luck creatures, the red tide, octopans, alligators, seaclops, howling hairfish, dinosaurs-"

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Rapunzel laughed. "Being a mermaid isn't as magical and wondrous as the fairy tales make it out to be."

Elsa grimaced. "I don't know if you remember, but fairy tales usually have monsters, witches, curses, magic spells. All of which we've experienced." She swam forward. "You don't need to tell me about fairy tales. We're in one."


	22. Good to Sea

"Okay, I think I got it this time," Rapunzel said. "Andrina: blond, purple tail. Alana: also purple, black hair, loves gardening. Aquata: blue tail, brown hair. She's the oldest."

"I thought Attina was the oldest," Elsa said.

"Well, that's... the way mermaids give birth, it's kinda... complicated. That's part of the reason they're all sharing the queenship," Ariel said.

Rapunzel grunted. "Ooh, you made me lose my place."

"Sorry. If it's any consolation, I can only remember three: Attina, Adella, and Arista," Elsa said.

Ariel giggled. "If you can split them between the two of you, there won't be a problem."

Rapunzel laughed. "Give me a break, can't you? I'm exhausted. I've never swam this much in my life."

"That's because you're still swimming like a human," Ariel laughed. "Keep your arms down."

"We are going to be so fit when we're back to normal," Elsa muttered to Rapunzel.

A school of silver fish swam by. Each bowed its head, as much as a fish could bow, and said "Good day, Princess Ariel."

Ariel smiled. They still remembered her, even after all this time.

"Good morning," Ariel said.

A couple of thick-lipped groupers passed by. One was distinctly male and another female by its pink coloring.

"Good morning, Ariel. Where are you off to?" the male asked in a snobbish voice.

"The palace. I... I've got some new friends to introduce."

"Oh good. While you're at it, see if you can't get your sisters to get along. Those biddies are burbling better than a bloated blowfish."

Ariel kept swimming, now more nervous. The palace was the best place to hide from Arcius. It was protected, they had allies. Daddy always said no matter what, she could always go home.

But Daddy wasn't there anymore.

She forgot about it as Elsa started crimping her tail instead of undulating and she began meandering upward. Every once in a while, Elsa or Rapunzel would get off track and she had to pull them back. Still, they managed to get to the palace gates. The castle's foremost guard, a seahorse, met her at the entrance.

"Princess Ariel? You're back! I thought you joined the human world."

"I had," Ariel said. "But, well... things have changed for now. In the meantime, I can still go to the palace, right?"

"Right. I'll tell your sisters at once."

The seahorse beckoned to the royal page--a white sailfish who would deliver the message before they were halfway there.

"Ariel," Rapunzel said. "What about our ship? It's still docked on the island, isn't it?"

"I hope Arcius isn't petty enough to destroy it. But we can't simply return," Elsa said.

"I know," Ariel said. "I can ask some whales to tow it out of there, and then... where should we put it?"

"Can't drag it down here with us," Rapunzel said. "Kind of defeats the purpose of a boat."

"How about your castle's port?" Elsa asked.

"What would Eric do if a ship sailed into his port with no one on it?" Rapunzel queried.

Ariel snapped her fingers. "I know the perfect spot. There's a cute little grove on the north side of the promontory. And the cliff has a little crook inside where the boat can go."

Ariel communicated her desires to the seahorse, who nodded and said he would carry out their orders straight away. At that time, two walruses arrived to escort them through palace. Elsa couldn't help but grinning at their sashes and little hats.

A set of trumpet fish stood on each side of the large golden archway to the interior.

"Announcing, the return of her royal majesty, Princess Ariel."

Elsa and Rapunzel marveled at the architecture of it all. All around, merpeople swam in and out through the portals dotting the golden towers. There were no such things as doors. When one didn't have to worry about rain or wind or cold, shelter didn't mean as much. Maybe that was the reason everyone seemed so happy.

At least until they entered the royal chamber. Six figures lounged around at a kidney-shaped table. Some looked bored, some furiously scribbled on seaweed-colored scrolls. Each had a dour, petty expression.

"Ariel?" Adella asked.

"Ariel!" Arista said.

Four of them swam up from their seats to embrace her. The two at the ends, Attina and Aquata, were the last to rise. Ariel became the center of a hug sandwich.

"I missed you."

"We missed you," said one with a bright yellow tail. "Who are your new friends?"

"I will tell you all about it, I promise. This is Rapunzel and this is Elsa." Ariel gestured to each in turn.

"Are they okay?" Alana asked. "They're kinda... falling."

Elsa and Rapunzel were slipping to the floor. The two realized and fluttered their arms to stay up.

"We're okay, just tired," Rapunzel said.

Ariel never realized how exhausted they would be as new mermaids if they were too tired to stay afloat. "It was a really long swim. Can we give them some guest rooms to rest in? And food?"

Andrina nodded to a nearby servant, who took their hands in each of his fins.

"I'll catch up with you later." Ariel waved to them as they drifted down the hall.

"What are you doing back? Why did you have to take the trident?" asked Alana.

"I expect you'll return it when you're done," Attina said. She and Aquata stepped out from opposite sides of the table. They looked the most queen-like of all--respectable, serious, and weathered.

"I just need to borrow it for a little while longer. We found out there's some terrible-"

Aquata put her hand on her hip. "Who were those two?"

"They swim so awkwardly," said Attina. "Are they from Atlantica?"

"Well, not really..." Ariel said. "They're from... very far away."

"Ariel..." Aquata crossed her arms and tapped her fins. "If you always lied this badly, it's no wonder Daddy was always yelling at you."

Ariel sighed. "All right, they're human."

"Human?" Some gasped. "You brought humans down here?"

"That's what you wanted the trident for?" Adella asked.

"No! Not at all," Ariel said. "I didn't even know them when this started."

"So not only are they human, they're strangers," Attina said.

"If you would just listen-"

"What would Daddy say?" asked Aquata. "All he wanted was to keep our world safe and secret. If humans knew about us, our whole kingdom would be at stake. Our lives would end."

"Didn't you learn anything, Aquata?" Ariel said. "Humans are not bad. I mean, not all of them. They're just like us."

"But no one the surface knows that there are mermaids still, right?" Attina asked.

"Yes. That's still true," Ariel said. "And my friends have promised to keep the secret."

"Secret or not, the more people that know, the more chances it has to slip out," Attina said.

"Why are you acting this way?" Ariel asked. "Don't you trust me?"

"I guess I just don't know who you are anymore."

"I became a human. I married a human," Ariel said. "The whole reason I'm going through this is to get back to him."

"But you were born a mermaid," Aquata added. "You can't change that, no matter how you feel."

Ariel flexed her fingers around her trident.

"I'm afraid we have to get back to business. The Mermaid's Ball is just a day away, and there's still a lot to do." Attina gestured back to the conference room.

"The Mermaid's Ball?" Ariel's eyes brightened.

"Uh-huh," Andrina said in her squeaky voice. "It's going to be the best one yet. Are you going to come?"

"I-"

"It would be great if we were all there. All seven of us together again," Adella said.

"Don't worry about what they said." Arista waved her hand back. "You're still part of our family. And your friends are invited too."

"Okay," Ariel said. "I'll be there."

"You?" Aquata said. "You missed your own debutante concert because you were off exploring. Don't count on seeing her, girls. She was willing to never see us again so she could become human. Don't fall for the same thing twice."

Andrina turned back. "But-"

"Are you coming?" Attina yelled, already halfway back.

Adella, Alana, Arista, and Andrina followed Aquata and Attina back into the hall. Arista looked behind her as the doors shut and made a pitiful wave.

Ariel remained motionless, still gripping the trident. Her lower lip quivered. She swam off into the long hallway, to the fading blue haze at the end.

* * *

Someone knocked on Elsa's door. She pushed herself off the spongy bed and floated above it, next to the window... door... portal? The castle was built like Swiss cheese. It was so weird to think she could just swim out her window to leave. Maybe this was what a goldfish felt like, swimming through a giant stone castle full of holes.

Even if the gravity was different, day and night were mostly the same. A dark iron blue haze blanketed above. Down below, ambient light from glowing plants and bioluminescent fish kept the kingdom from pitch blackness.

Another rapping reminded Elsa about the knock. With a few twists, she righted herself and pulled down the giant calico scallop door.

Rapunzel stood there. "Hi. Can you sleep?"

Elsa shook her head. "I don't want to sleep. This world is too amazing."

"I know," Rapunzel squealed. "I'm having too much fun." She swam in a hoop, bubbles trailing her. "This is like a dream. I think it still might be."

"Maybe we died in the fall."

Rapunzel stopped swimming. "Elsa! Don't be so gloomy."

"You're right. If we were dead, the food would taste better."

"Yeah," Rapunzel said, holding her stomach. "I've never had kelp pasta before, but it was kind of bland and salty."

"I prefer the regular cucumber sandwiches. Not sea cucumber. It was presented well, though."

"And it must be full of energy. They don't eat any fish. No shrimp, no cod, no carp. But I haven't seen anyone with an ounce of fat. Swimming all day does wonders for the body." Rapunzel leaned in. "You want to go exploring?"

Elsa peeked out her door. Dead quiet from hall to hall. There might be unknown dangers lurking, but when would she ever explore a mermaid kingdom again?

"Let's do it," Elsa said.

The two of them swam out into the silent castle. Crab shells and starfish spotted every wall. Conch and spiral shells jutted out of gate points. Everything seemed to glow with an ambient effervescent twilight. And she had no idea where it was coming from.

The grand hall was bigger than Arendelle's opera house or Corona's theater. And explorable from top to bottom. Elsa smiled as she dragged her fingers across the rippled ceiling. The long table was irregularly built rock, like most things here. Against the wide wall was a balcony, with giant clam shells for lounging sofas.

"Look at these," Rapunzel said. She let herself fall into one. "They're huge. And so smooth."

Elsa looked out onto a seaweed forest as tall as trees. "Everything's so colorful. It makes my castle look like so drab."

They even had a gallery--art framed with strips of golden hydrozoa. Rapunzel marveled at the shades of blue within landscapes of sea volcanoes, sunken ships, and coral reefs. How they painted down here, they'd never know.

Rapunzel could have stayed there forever, but Elsa led her onward. They found some private rooms, possibly servants' quarters. If they were, every maidservant and steward had nothing to complain about. Every bed was as fine and plush as theirs.

They stopped at a door with a golden starfish on it. It was the first door they had seen in the palace, not a carved aperture.

"I wonder what's behind here," Rapunzel said. The thought didn't cross their minds that it was somewhere they weren't supposed to go. After seeing the grand hall, the trophy room, the balcony, it had to be something majestic. Rapunzel opened it.

"Oh," she said. "It's a closet."

A dustpan made from a scallop shell. A broom with thick tangly seaweed for bristles. Bottles made from nautilus shells.

"See? Even the closet is staggering," Elsa said.

They meandered to the lower levels where more industrial activities took place--metalwork, manufacturing, carpentry. Tools and unfinished pieces of stone lay in unorganized piles. The material was all too spiraled or gnarled or striped or tubular to recognize.

Then they came upon the treasury. A mountain of gold lay in a cave-like room. No guards, no doors. Just a carved out hole, like a burrowing animal had left it behind.

Elsa and Rapunzel dared not go inside, but they poked their heads in. Their lips puckered at the sight of it all--humongous pearls, candy red rubies, sea foam emeralds, arctic sapphires, and a beach's worth of silver and gold.

"That is... It's... there are no words..." Rapunzel said, swallowing.

Elsa nodded in silence. If anything was a dream, this was it.

"Have you noticed something?" Elsa asked. "There is no armory. No war room. No dungeon."

"Maybe we haven't found it," Rapunzel said.

"Maybe they don't need it. All I've seen are patrolling guards. And those are probably protecting from giant squids and killer whales."

Rapunzel bit her lip. Was Atlantica that perfect? Did they really have no war? No opposing nations bearing down on them, pressuring them into competition?

"I guess it would be hard to defend your castle when you can move all around it. You could just swim over the top and drop down."

Under the water, a siege army would have no meaning. _Walls_ had no meaning. In such a culture, did that make war obsolete?

The two of them flutter-kicked up a ramp to the main floor. Elsa mused that in the human world it would be a staircase, but fish had no need for stairs. A little more sober, they wandered through decorated corridors.

Elsa stopped. "Do you hear that?"

"Music," Rapunzel said.

They followed the sound, until they found a magnificent dance hall. Mermaids, mermen, and fish of all kinds were decorating with streamers, ribbons, cut-out stars, and other party implements ornaments. The jazzy, soulful melody came from a corner, where a small red crab was conducting a five-piece band.

He held his hands to his ears. "No, no, no. Dat's all wrong, all wrong. Ace, have you been practicing your scales like I tell you?"

He pointed at a manta ray wearing sunglasses and holding a fishbone guitar.

"Just like always, Sebastian." He demonstrated a pentatonic lick. "I just don't feel comfortable with the instrument. I should be playing bass."

"Ink Spot," Sebastian said. "Only an octopus drumma cud be rushing _and_ dragging at de same time."

The cepahalopod in the back shrugged all eight of his shoulders. "Why does it always gotta be the octopus playing drums? I can play other instruments too. Like sea cello, harmonica, trumpet..."

"We got a trumpet. But he keep running out of steam. Puffy!" Sebastian looked at a blowfish holding a trumpet.

"I'm calling myself P. Guppy now."

"Dese kids today," he muttered to himself. "Your bass is not soundin' as sharp, mon."

"It was a fluke. You can't blame me. I was up all night practicing." To demonstrate, he blew on his horn, ballooning into a sticker-laden sphere. The bright brass sound deflated into a squeaky trickle.

"And Diva Sea Lily, you're off key."

A beluga whale with black trim on her fins swung her hips. "I'm under a lot of pressure here. I don't sing as well without my autotuna."

Sebastian wiped his forehead. "Why don' we take a break for an hour?"

The band put down their instruments, making discordant sounds, and wandered away. Sebastian glumly sat on the edge of the platform. "Dis is going to be de worst Mermaid's Ball yet."

"Mermaid's Ball?" Rapunzel exclaimed.

Sebastian looked up. "Oh, I'm sorry. Were we making too much noise? Or not enough? It's not perfect yet, but we'll be ready in time or my name's not Horatio Thelonius Ignatius Crustaceus Sebastian. Tell de princesses we not gonna rest until every note sings out-"

"Whoa, whoa," Elsa said. "We're not mad. We were just looking for where the sound was coming from."

"We've never heard anything like it," Rapunzel said.

Sebastian wiped his brow. "Oh. I tought de princesses sent you for to spy on me."

"No, we're just... we've never heard of the Mermaid's Ball. But your music sounded wonderful," Rapunzel asked.

"Well, it's like I always say. De key to any event is that you got to create... de mood. Mermaids thrive on music. It brings everyone closer together. Everyting got life and harmony from music."

Elsa and Rapunzel recalled the times they caught Ariel humming to herself. "We've noticed."

"De Mermaid's Ball is one of de biggest parties Atlantica has all year. Next to de Party Gras, de Soundsational Extravaganza, Memorial to de Royals Day, the bi-annual Tidal Gala, and... we have a lot of parties, I guess."

Elsa sighed. "This place is a utopia. The people are so happy and content. There's no war, no hard work. All you do is have parties."

Sebastian nodded solemnly. "Atlantica didn't always used to be dis way. Ten years ago, de king banished all music from de sea kingdom. He was in mourning for his wife."

"Wow, I can't imagine a world without music," Rapunzel said.

"How would you even enforce that?" Rapunzel asked.

"He couldn't. Not for long. In fact," he whispered, "I was one of de biggest rascals dere was. You ever heard of De Catfish Club Band? I was de leader."

Elsa and Rapunzel shook their heads.

"No? How about Dizzy Crustace? De hottest performer in Eel-lectric City?"

Elsa and Rapunzel shook their heads again.

"Boy, you two must be from a different ocean. Where you swim in from?" Sebastian asked.

"No, we're from... um, up... up..." Rapunzel stammered.

"Up north. See the tail?" Elsa thrust out her ice-blue tail with the snowflake pattern on the fluke.

Sebastian shrugged. "Anyway, dere were underground clubs everywhere, playing music all night, sneaking in and out. After ten years de king finally come around. Before dat, he be mopin' all day like de sea slug. All he do is take a morning walk with his daughters and dat's it. Dis bossy governess would watch de girls. And I be out negotiating with de sprat and de smelt."

"He sounds like... kind of a tyrant," Elsa said.

"No! No, no. It's... I guess it's hard to explain." Sebastian shrugged. "He made me his royal court composer. I created all sorts of award-winning songs. Without me, music under de sea wouldn't be what it is today."

"What we heard sounded great," Elsa said. "The music in my kingdom is mostly somber violins. I can't wait to see what this ball is going to be like."

"Dis will be my biggest concert since de king died. It must be."

"Why?" Rapunzel asked.

"Everyone's unsure about the future. Atlantica spent so much time fearing humans, now no one's sure what to think. The princesses do more fightin' than rulin'. So dis Mermaid's Ball has got to be the best dat it can be. It seemed to all start when Ah-ree-el left. Dat girl was the sunshine in de ocean. Everywhere she went, she left a school of joyfish behind her. We shared so many adventures."

"But she's here right now. She came with us. Didn't you know?" Rapunzel said.

"She's back again? In de palace?!" Sebastian leapt off the stage and swam in a circle. "Well, why didn't you say so? Hey, did you hear? Princess Ariel's back!" he said to the others posting decorations around the hall.

"We know already. I just saw her in the courtyard," said a merman hanging a banner. "Jeez, come out of your shell once in a while."

"Dis," Sebastian said, "is just de kind of boost dis kingdom needs. It'll put de flush bock in everyone's fins." He swam off to find wherever his band. "Hey, guys, come back! We haff to practice twice as hard now."

Elsa turned to Rapunzel. "In the courtyard? She's not asleep?"

"Like we're supposed to be?" Rapunzel replied.

"I hope nothing's wrong. Let's see if we can find her."

After a quick swim around the castle, they found the courtyard. Situated at the rear, it looked much like a human one. Cement walkways wound through plots of sea anemones, coral sculptures, and tall statues. It was twice as big as either of their courtyards, and three times as lovely.

Ariel was sitting on a bench next to a patch of tall swaying seaweed. They spotted her red hair right away.

"Hey, guys," she said in a cheerless voice. "What are you doing awake?"

"We couldn't sleep," Rapunzel said. "It's too exciting down here. So much to see and do."

"But that can't be your reason. This is your home," Elsa said.

Ariel sighed. "It used to be. Everything's different now. This used to be Alana's garden. She loved gardening. It was the most beautiful thing in the courtyard. And with her pet sea turtle and all her other fishy friends, they loved it. One day there was a seaquake and the garden was ripped apart. But the next day, all her friends rebuilt it out of wildflowers and coral blossoms. It was dazzling." Ariel waved her hand through the sargasso and sighed. "I can tell she's not tending it anymore. The servants are taking care of it."

"Maybe she has a lot of work to do," Elsa said. "Being queen is tough."

"The six of them are sharing the queenship and they still can't get it right?" Ariel asked. "Alana loved beauty. She made her own skin cremes. She always said 'we daughters of Triton must look our best'. I bet Aquata doesn't do water sports anymore. Andrina doesn't joke anymore. Adella doesn't think about boys. They said they don't even know who I am anymore. I don't know who they are either."

"Are they mad because you went to the surface?" Rapunzel asked.

"But that was your choice, " Elsa said. "You had ambition to be more than a princess. You saw what you wanted and went for it."

"But I never thought about what I was giving up," Ariel said. "I was so fascinated with the human world, I never thought about what I was leaving behind."

Elsa and Rapunzel sat down beside Ariel. "You knew what you were doing. You knew that you'd never see your family again when you made that deal. But now you can!"

"It doesn't feel right," Ariel said. "When I made that bargain, I knew it was a sacrifice. Being here again seems... wrong. Like I'm violating some rule."

"My mother said," Elsa said, "the past is what makes you who you are now, but you don't have to let it define your future."

"That's the thing!" Ariel looked up with pleading eyes. "I don't know which is my future. Is it here? Is it on the surface?" She sighed. "I wonder if I should never have become human at all."

"No," Rapunzel scoffed. "You'd be miserable if you hadn't. Think of what you'd have missed out on. Like horse rides."

"And snow. And crocuses," Elsa said.

"And guitar music. And bonfires," Rapunzel said.

"And tall forests. And giant fields full of wheat that go on forever," Elsa said.

"And meeting a bunch of ugly guys at a pub and singing about your dreams," Rapunzel said. "Or maybe that's just me."

"Everyone in my kingdom wants me to learn more about being a queen. It's terrible. It means staying at home, researching, making orders, doing nothing fun. I might as well stay locked in a barrel of sea water."

"You know what? We can worry about all this later," Elsa said. She surprised herself with how optimistic she sounded. "We're still safe down here, right?"

Ariel brushed her bangs from her eyes. She sniffled and nodded.

"So while we've got time, is there anything we can do to figure out how to deal with Arcius. We need to find more about this 'grain of time'. It's the key to his power."

"Oh! The letter!" Rapunzel exclaimed. "You should check if you got a letter. Like the ones we got."

Ariel perked up. "I could ask Dudley. He's the court clerk. Handles all the important documents." She took the lead, swimming off in an arc. Rapunzel and Elsa kept up as she entered the golden palace again.

They followed her into what looked like a library archive. Rows of cubbies stretched back as far as the eye can see. An old sea turtle lay on the floor, snoozing in a basket. His thick gray eyebrows twitched, which, somehow, the reptile had.

"Dudley? Dudley?" Ariel said.

The sea turtle opened his eyes. "Eh... what?... oh..." He yawned. "Prin... cess... you..."

"Dudley, have there been any letters for me since I left?"

"Let...ters? ...no... not... since... your... wedding.... Eh... when... was... that?"

"A year ago."

"Ariel," Elsa asked. "Is this place like a library?"

"Maybe there's material about Arcius or his magic or anything like that?" Rapunzel asked. "It's a long shot, but if the human libraries don't have anything, maybe you do."

"There wouldn't be anything about Temeris, but... ooh! I know. Dudley, listen."

"Eh... what-"

"Can you look through the archives for any information about 'sands of time'? I know it sounds poetic, but I think it's some sort of magic artifact. It can be used to change the past."

"And it's very small," Rapunzel said.

"And very rare," Elsa added.

"Sands... of... time? ...I... don't..."

"Great, thanks Dudley. You're still the best clerk Atlantica ever had." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Well..." Dudley's cheeks flushed red.

"Come on," Ariel said, swimming away. "While he's doing that, we have a ball to get ready for."


	23. Enchantment Under the Sea

Elsa met Rapunzel in the hallway. "You look gorgeous," she said.

Rapunzel had oysters clipped to her tail, as she had seen some others do, and put a sangria flower in her hair. "Thanks. You too."

Elsa wore a sash around her waist with a set of sapphire beads hanging in ringlets from the center.

"Can you believe that dressing room? All the cosmetics and frills and ornaments? There were colors I didn't even know existed. And so many things to put in your hair," Rapunzel said.

Ariel swam up behind them. "All ready?"

Compared to her, Elsa and Rapunzel felt underdressed. She had traded her ordinary top for one with star-like glitter. A string of pearls wound around her tail down to the fluke. In her hair lay a tiara of honey gold accentuated with mint emeralds.

"All ready," Elsa said.

Ariel clasped them on the back and led them to the grand hall. Melodious sounds of the band beckoned them in. The mermaids looked dazzling in their bright vestments covered with jewelry. Mermen wore auroral sashes, medals, and metal shoulder pads.

The seahorse herald floating in the doorway coughed.

"Announcing, her royal highnesses, Princess Rapunzel of Corona, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and Queen Ariel of Atlantica."

The crowd cheered. Ariel leaned in to the herald and whispered, "Oh, no, I'm not actually a queen. I'm-"

Rapunzel grabbed her shoulder and pointed. "Are those neon eels? Wow. And look at those lantern fish. So many colors."

"This is the first time I've wanted to go to a ball," Elsa said.

Mermaids and mermen danced with each other in synchronized lines. On the surface, movements were limited to the floor. But in the sea, couples weaved in and out of lines, circled in spheres and loops. Just when they might run into each other, they rotated or slipped past in perfect grace. Spinning and diving and looping, but with the refinement of royalty.

The dance ended. The merpeople bowed to each other wherever they were--on the ceiling , in a corner, or floating in space alone.

The noise died down and Rapunzel heard Ariel describing people present.

"That is King Augustus of Olympia. They're kind of war-like, but they've never actually been to war. And his son Prince Thor is kind of snobby, but good at aquabatics." She gestured to the young man who had an odd blond mohawk with a ponytail. Both father and son wore gold-plated armor as their formal dress.

"Wait, Thor is a Norse name," Elsa said. "But they rule over Olympia, which sounds Greek?"

"Don't ask me. That fat one is King Orto." Ariel pointed out a rotund man wearing bright orange and holding up a goblet. He was laughing hysterically. "He's from Infernius, around a ring of undersea volcanoes. He's great at parties."

"How many kingdoms are there?" Rapunzel asked.

"Eight total. But they all unite under Atlantica's banner. Our kingdom is like the capital."

"Just as long as I don't offend anyone by doing something against customs," Elsa said, looking around nervously.

Now that the dance floor had cleared, the band struck up a bouncier tune. Merpeople cast aside their snack plates. Everyone from the highest lord to lowest knave swam to the dance floor. Rapunzel began shifting her shoulders with the beat.

"That's, uh... that's a pretty good tune," Rapunzel said. "Can anyone dance?"

Ariel laughed. "Go right ahead."

Rapunzel squealed and dove right in. She swirled around as if she were a goldfish in a bowl. Some of her neighbors gave her strange looks, given the human moves she was trying to make in a mermaid's body.

Ariel caught the eye of her six sisters at the other end of the room. They stood in a stolid receiving line as guests of great regard came up to them. Aquata's gaze pierced through the gyrating dancers.

"I think I better join my sisters," Ariel said. "It looks like they're welcoming guests."

"Can I come with you?" Elsa asked. "Dancing's not really my thing."

"Are you sure? It's pretty boring. Maybe go get some snacks first."

"Good idea," Elsa said. "I'll get some for you too."

Elsa positioned herself horizontal and swam to the snack bar. Ariel glided along the walls and set herself in her traditional spot at the end of the line. Alana and Andrina whispered hi, but a lean merman with a thin mustache approached, interrupting their conversation. Ariel recognized him as Satya, the viceroy from the Indian Ocean.

"Princess Ariel. I didn't expect to see you here," said Satya.

"Oh, I'm... just visiting," Ariel said.

"I heard you had gotten married, but didn't know to whom. Who's the lucky merman?"

Apparently, news of her breaking taboo hadn't reached all seven of the seas. "Oh, no one you know."

"Is he here tonight?" the viceroy asked.

"No, no, he had... other business."

The viceroy sniffled. "Must be important to miss the mermaid's ball."

"I'm sure he would have come if he could," Ariel said. Eric would like to see this.

"What kingdom is he from?"

"It's... it's a very small kingdom. Far away from here. You've probably never heard of it."

"Perhaps that is a blessing," Satya said. "If Atlantica wasn't so large, the queenship wouldn't always be in the turmoil it's in. You can hear the arguing all the way to the Caribbean. If three of them agree on something, it's a guarantee the other three won't. Too many crabs in the pot."

Ariel looked over to see if her sisters were hearing this. They were in conversation with other dignitaries, out of earshot. "Atlantica seems fine to me. The fish are happy, the music's playing," she said.

"Well, the nice thing about always being deadlocked is that nothing changes for the worse," Satya said. "Take for example, utility renovation in Eel-lectric City. They had dozens of proposals put to them. All kinds, good and bad. But they couldn't put their tail down on one because none were the perfect solution. They don't understand being a ruler means sometimes having to make a decision. Whether or not it's not all-encompassing. And the longer they take, the more citizens suffer."

"I... I didn't hear about that."

"See, you get it. I don't know why they can't. Anyway, I see the regent from the Gulf of Guinea. I must go to rub in my victory of our last game of pinochle." They shook hands again, said their goodbyes and swam off.

In fact, Ariel had only just "got it" She had watched Eric long enough to know if the kingdom had an issue to deal with, waiting did no good. It wouldn't get better on its own. And on occasion, he had made the decision that didn't make everyone happy. Raising taxes on crops meant angry farmers but, in the long run, better roads and schools.

To her right, a man was kissing Andrina's hand. She was doing her best trying to shake him off, but he wasn't getting the hint.

"Thank you. So much. Prince Finneas. Your sea cottage sounds lovely. I will definitely look into thinking about possibly being interested in joining you there for vacation someday."

Finneas waggled his eyebrows one more time and moved on.

"This happens all the time," Andrina said to Ariel. "They think these dances are just opportunities to court us. It's exhausting."

"Be lucky you don't have these problems," Alana whispered before facing another merman with a monocle. The dance music transformed into a crowd-pleasing mid-beat, encouraging couples onto the floor.

Rapunzel would not stop dancing her tail off. Twisting and turning to the beat while onlookers applauded. She was painting a picture that sound alone couldn't communicate, floating in a serenity no one could interrupt.

"Ariel!" someone shouted. A boy was waving and rushing toward her. Ariel cringed, remembering Andrina's and Alana's warning, until she recognized him.

"Gil? Gil, is that you?"

Her cousin Gil swam up to her. They hugged.

"I haven't seen you in years," Ariel said.

"I thought I'd never see you again." He brushed the stringy cinnamon bangs out of his face. "You went to live in the human world, right?"

"Right. But I'm here for... well, just lucky I guess."

Elsa swam up to them, holding a hand-sized seashell with various tidbits. She wasn't paying much attention, as her eyes were glued to the new food. "I didn't know what you wanted so I grabbed a bit of everything. Most of them taste like different combinations of sugar and salt. I bet they'd be great with some chocolate." She popped something rectangular and grainy into her mouth. "Thif one'f fticky. Like peanut butter and molaffeff. Also, thefe thingf that look like cupcakef are feaweed?"

"Gil, this is my friend, Elsa. Elsa, this is my cousin Gil."

Elsa looked up. Her eyes widened, mouth trapped in mid-chew. She swallowed. "Wow... I-I mean 'how'. How do you do? How are you?"

Gil's eyes didn't blink either. "Fine, fine... great... beautiful. I mean, I'm not beautiful. You're beautiful. Wait, what?"

Ariel smirked. "You know, Gil was just saying how he wanted someone to dance with."

"Oh... really?" Elsa muttered.

Gil offered his hand. "Would you like to?"

Thoughts of this new body, memories of the coronation two years ago, never materialized in her brain. She took his hand and let Gil lead her to the floor. Ariel grabbed the dish out of Elsa's hand before she dropped it.

The music followed the tempo of a waltz. Elsa fell into it naturally, vigilant of Gil's cues while gazing into his eyes.

"I don't dance all that much," Elsa said, clutching for things to say. "At least I can't step on your toes." She forced a laugh.

"Huh?" Gil said.

_Agh, stupid._ He didn't even know what a toe was. "Um, I mean, I'm used to a different kind of dancing."

"What kind?" Gil asked. He had amazing chestnut eyes. Elsa imagined Gil would be an archer in the human world. His chest was narrow and sculpted, with long lithe arms. Perfect for drawing a bow.

"Oh, um, the kind... from my kingdom. This is my first time in Atlantica. But Ariel's been great helping me out."

"How do you know Ariel?"

"Oh... it's a funny story actually." _As funny as you can make trying to kill someone_. "I was caught in a shipwreck- um, exploring one I mean. My tail... got trapped under some boards and Ariel saved me."

Gil smiled. "She does love her shipwrecks. You'd never guess she's such an explorer."

"I'm so often surprised by how looks deceive. Especially these days. I mean, look at all these people around us. They're all kings and queens and dignitaries. But I'm sure they've got secrets and things we'd never guess by looking at them."

"What's something I'd never guess by looking at you?" Gil asked.

Where would she start? She was a human. She was a queen. She had ice powers. Most recently, they had fought a wizard capable of bending time. Her cousin had hair seventy feet long that could cure wounds. There was plenty to pick from, if she wanted to end this dance right away.

"Oh... lots of things... If I started telling you my secrets, they wouldn't be secrets, would they?" she chided. Then wanted to throw her head in her hands for sounding like a nanny. "I mean, I just..."

"No, no, it's my fault. Sorry. I didn't mean to ask something so personal. But at least you're honest." He smiled.

She smiled back, realizing he was just trying to get to know her. "How about you? I know you're Ariel's cousin. I wouldn't have guessed that. Does that make you a prince?"

"Technically. But we don't hand out titles or rule any land. Unless you count the ranch for giant seahorses we own."

"You raise giant seahorses?"

"Sure. Most of the seahorses in Atlantica's stable come from us. When Ariel and I were merkids, we raced them into the kelp forests. In fact I was late today because one... well, it's a long story."

"Tell it," Elsa said excitedly.

"Okay. So we've got Starflash. He's usually good, but he's been getting ornery for some reason. I thought it was because of the new feed. When we got them all in for the night, he wasn't there. Now when a seahorse gets out, that's loads of trouble. They wander off and they're easy pickings for a shark."

"They must be hard to find too," Elsa said, spinning as he raised his arm. "It's not like they leave tracks."

"Darn near impossible. But I volunteer to go out and look for him. Which makes _me_ easy pickings for a shark. But I'm thinking I can't just do nothing and write him off."

"That sounds so brave." The story made Elsa tense, even though he obviously survived. "Did you find him?"

"Yup. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Found him nestled up in some rocks under a plateau. And right beside him was a brand new baby calf. Can you believe it? I had no idea he was carrying."

"Wait, _he_ had a baby calf?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah, the males keep the baby in their egg pouch. Didn't you know that about seahorses?" Gil gave her a quizzical look

"Oh. No I didn't." Clearly this was something she should have known so Elsa redirected him. "So Starflash is all right?"

"Oh, yeah. It's the calf that's the ornery one now. Fatherhood must be taking it out of him. Little girl's always tail-wrestling. In fact, that's how she got her name--Curly."

Elsa couldn't stop grinning. Her cheeks were sore from smiling so much.

Trumpets sounded. Merpeople cleared the dance floor. Gil escorted Elsa off to the side as the herald stood at the end of the room.

"What's going on?" Elsa asked.

"It's time for the Atlantican Royal Dance," Gil whispered. "It's a tradition."

"Ahem-hem..." the seahorse herald said. "And now, for your enjoyment, the seven royal sisters shall conduct 'the dance of the princesses'."

The herald swam to the side as the crowd applauded. Arista and Aquata led the sisters two-by-two to the dance floor. They reformed into a circle, hands in the middle, waiting for the music to start.

The band played a smooth, low-toned melody of nobility and awe. They rotated along the circle, changing direction with the rhythm.

"First time we've done this all together in years," Adella whispered.

"Wasn't I here the year before?" Ariel asked.

"No," Arista snapped, still whispering. "You left after the first song. You said you had to write a letter."

"Arista, ease up. She's here now," Andrina whispered. She turned to Ariel. "Do they dance like this on the surface?"

"A lot like this," Ariel said. "We actually have a lot in common. There's an instrument just like the sea calliope. And they have a version of the crab scouts. And the same games and art and music."

Arista sniffed. "Good to know you've been having such fun since you left. Meanwhile we're just down here, running a country the size of the ocean."

"I have my own kingdom too, you know," Ariel said.

"Then the human world must be a real paradise. It can run itself without a leader."

"That's not true. We're having problems," Ariel said. And she knew exactly why--because of her. "It's hard... making decisions."

"You have no idea how hard it is, even when it's peaceful," Arista said.

The circle spun round and round, faster and faster.

"It's up to you all to share the leadership. Daddy always said working together was-"

"Don't you dare talk about Daddy," Aquata chimed in. "You didn't even come for his funeral."

"How could I have?" Ariel asked. "I was human. I was in a totally different world. How was I supposed to get there? I can't change back and forth."

"You should have found a way. They still have magic on the surface, right?" Aquata snapped.

"You got here, didn't you?" Adella added.

"That's different. And that's the whole reason I'm here. I'm trying to find a solution to get rid of it," Ariel said. Were they all taking the opposite side? The spinning faces whirled, spitting out arguments she couldn't keep track of.

"So you _do_ hate being a mermaid," Arista said.

"No!" Ariel said.

"Daddy wouldn't have died if you hadn't gone to the surface," Arista said.

Arista, Andrina, and Alana gasped. "Arista! How can you say that?"

"Well, it's true. He died of a broken heart." Arista looked at Ariel. "When you left, everything went bad."

"That's not my fault," Ariel said. "This isn't my kingdom anymore, it's yours. I don't know why you aren't getting along, but it's not because of me."

"You had a responsibility to your kingdom. To Atlantica," Arista said. "Now you aren't here, so you don't know. You went to the human world and left us. I just hope you're proud of yourself. Because we're all miserable."

The music stopped, as did the conversation. All seven raised their hands in the air, reaching toward each other in a halted circle. The crowd was applauding, but no one saw the eyes making dirty glances at each other within.

The sisters turned away and swam from the dance floor, leaving Ariel in the center, breathing deeply.

Elsa didn't notice how stoic Ariel was. She was still clapping. "That was amazing," she said to Gil.

"Thing of beauty," Gil said. "Something about royalty makes it more elegant." He put his hand on her arm.

She seized, heart pounding. His touch felt like an invigorating blast of ice. "I- I- I- I-"

Her eye caught someone in green floating into the hall. It was Dudley, holding a large bound book.

"Oh, excuse me," she said. "There's... I... someone just came in... I need to speak with... not another guy, just... information... he has. Excuse me." She turned away and started to swim, cringing from that stew of nonsense.

"Oh... okay." Gil gave a confused, half-hearted wave.

Elsa turned back. "I loved dancing with you." Then turned around again. Ugh, why did she say that? It was true, but it sounded so awkward.

Elsa found the yellow ribbon trailing in a corkscrew from Rapunzel's maneuver.

"I'm not even tired," Rapunzel said. "This is so fun! I have a sugar headache from all the snacks. We should all dance together." She twirled around, her hair trailing behind.

"Dudley's here," Elsa said.

"Oh." Rapunzel stopped. "Let's get Ariel."

Ariel was still in the middle of the floor as others danced around her. She tugged on her arm.

"Wh-What?" Ariel said. Elsa pointed to the sea turtle in the doorway.

The three of them swam off the dance floor and approached him.

"Dudley, did you find something?" Elsa asked.

"Ah-huh," Dudley said in his weak little voice. He handed them the book wrapped around his flipper.

Elsa held it out for them all to read. "This book is ages old. Written by... Abirmus nyz Ikstus."

"He was an ancient sorcerer and scholar, before Atlantica was founded. This must have been deep in the archives." Ariel turned to Dudley. "How long did it take you to find this? It must have been hours."

"Uh... no... it was... on the shelf... right next to me... Just... rushed here."

Elsa studied the text. "It's talking about relics of the gods. Artifacts and fragments left behind... Here. 'The sands of time are a divine essence leftover from the creation of the world. Eternally falling from the beginning of infinity to its end. It has no guardian and no destructor. It always has been and always will be."

Ariel took over. "'A single grain made its way into the realm of mortals, where it faded into the terran macrocosm. There it lay for eons, indistinguishable from any other speck of earth'."

"'Until someone discovered its existence'," Rapunzel continued. "'By prying open the mouths of the long dead to hear the whispers of the gods.'"

"'Knowing what its power meant, sorcerers and necromancers went mad trying to find it. Mere preparation for pursuit meant tapping into ancient dark magics. Few remained uncorrupted. Those that weren't lost track of their goal, possessed by their power," Elsa said.

"What's the last thing it says?" Rapunzel asked. "Is there a way to destroy it?"

Elsa skipped to the bottom. "It doesn't say. It's all about the people trying to find it. Messing with fundamental essences, like hate and sorrow. The last man they mention, the madness and chaos deteriorated his spirit. He deteriorated little by little, until nothing remained but hate and anger. He became an incarnation of discord itself."

"Does it know who that was?" Rapunzel asked.

"No." Ariel took a deep breath. "But unfortunately, I do."


	24. A Touch of Evil

"I wonder if we should have brought armed guards?" Rapunzel asked for the third time since they started towards the lava vent.

"They wouldn't do any good," Ariel replied. "Trust me."

Their world had shifted from radiant blue with bubbly, electric colors to a noiseless crimson skyscape. Stalagmites and smoky vents stood out from the crumbled black rock and ash. No music, no fish, no signs of life.

"So he was locked away in a volcano? Then why is he still there?" Elsa asked.

Ariel shrugged. "He doesn't want anything, except to make others miserable. That's the only reason he ever wanted to rule Atlantica."

"How did you get him out?" Elsa asked.

" _Why_ did you get him out?" Rapunzel asked.

"The same way he ever got anything--deceiving people who are young and idealistic." Ariel answered. "That's what's most evil about him--you never know that it's happening to you. He never actually lies. He persuades you into thinking things a certain way."

"Like illusions?" Elsa asked.

"No, more like a trick. I don't know if it's magic or hypnotism or maybe he's just that good. So like I said before, don't listen to him. He will flatter you, twist your mind. He'll make you jealous, arrogant, lose faith in your friends-"

"We know, we know," Rapunzel said. "You've told us eight times already."

"Well, I mean it. He almost brought down Atlantica just by talking to people, setting them against each other. He's a dark shadow you don't know is behind you. The only protection against it is your own willpower."

"Don't worry. I have experience dealing with manipulators," Rapunzel said.

"He's not like anyone you've ever seen or talked to."

Rapunzel smirked, keeping her thoughts to herself. _I'll be the judge of that_.

They angled their incline higher to head into the volcano. The smoky vents clouded the path ahead. Ariel made the trident shine like a lantern to pierce the fog. At the cavern door, they stopped.

"How's he going to know we're here?" Elsa asked.

"He knows." Ariel gripped the trident with both hands.

A murky deep-throated laughing echoed in the darkness. Elsa and Rapunzel searched for the source. Ariel's eyes remained on the cavern's opening.

"So you've returned..."

The voice was majestic, demanding to be heard. Two yellow eyes blinked open in the darkness. Elsa and Rapunzel gasped.

The yellow eyes glided forward, revealing what they were attached to--a giant manta-man with deep purple skin. Two black wings billowed out from his shoulders like a cape, tapering into a tail with a barbed point. With his thin mustache, or maybe two long whiskers, he looked like a catfish who swallowed the canary islands.

"I thought the only way I would see you again," Evil Manta boomed, "was falling, motionless, to the ocean floor." He laughed.

"That's enough," Ariel said. "We're not here to visit."

Evil Manta grinned. "Come now. The niceties must be observed. I have met so few royals from other kingdoms."

"Don't listen, guys," Ariel said.

"Princess, I'm hurt. What do you expect of me?"

"I expect you to twist their minds with your lies," Ariel said.

"Lies?" Evil Manta said. "Have you ever known me to lie? The truth is so much stronger." The Evil Manta curled around the three of them, stopping near Rapunzel.

"I know you're going to say something about my hair. Don't bother," she said.

"How could I not? And magic as well. I could smell its power all the way from inside my cave." He picked it up like a rope, before Rapunzel yanked it away. "The healing magic of the sun. It must be the envy of all your friends."

"We all have different talents," Rapunzel said confidently. "And we all work together."

"Yes..." Evil Manta hissed and turned his attention to Elsa, swimming so he never stayed in one place for long. "You have remarkable magic too. But it's your commanding leadership the others admire. Do the merpeople in your kingdom see you the same way?"

"We're not from the sea kingdom," Elsa said. "We're from the human world."

Then the Evil Manta did something Ariel thought she'd never see. He shuddered.

"You sully the waters by bringing down humans. The true queen of the mermaids would never do that."

"I'm not a queen. And I'm not a mermaid," Ariel said. "I'm a human. I live in a human world and have human problems."

The manta glanced at her tail, but said nothing.

"And it's something that could affect the entire world. Both yours and ours," Elsa said.

The Evil Manta grimaced. "Then by all means, ask your questions."

"How did you become the Evil Manta?" Ariel asked. "You weren't always like this, were you? No one is born evil."

The Evil Manta laughed, deep from his gut. "Of course not. It takes decades to amass this much power."

He turned his head to gaze at Elsa. From within her mind, the manta's voice spoke. _*Do you really call them your friends? The little mermaid hates your bossiness. And your cousin did so much more for your kingdom than you ever did. Wouldn't she be a better queen than you?*_

Elsa's head felt fuzzy. Had she thought that herself? She remembered councilors had asked Rapunzel to stay before they left Arendelle, but she didn't have time to ask why. "She wouldn't," Elsa whispered to herself.

The manta smirked. _*How do you know that wasn't her plan all along?*_

The Evil Manta turned back to Ariel, leaving Elsa glassy-eyed. "Whatever dark magics I used have long since washed away like so much sand. When the world was newer, enchantments and spells were commonplace. We should have destroyed ourselves ten times over. Why? Are you thinking of dabbling in the dark arts?"

"No. We're looking for answers. How did you learn them? Was there a spell book? Did you apprentice under someone?" Ariel asked.

"These sorts of conjurations come from many places. A knowledgeable sorcerer knows to separate the algae from the kelp. Find a man who can cultivate sorrow. Pluck an artifact from an engine of fear." Evil Manta grinned, his eyes floating toward Rapunzel. "It's a long process."

 _*Are your friends really better off with you here?*_ the Evil Manta thought at her. _*Everything scares you. There's so much you don't know, so much you lack. The world is made to hurt you, steal from you, lie to you. And you're too passive and weak-willed to deal with it.*_

Rapunzel set her jaw. These thoughts weren't her own, but she didn't know where they were coming from. And they made sense.

_*Maybe you should have listened to Mother Gothel. You aren't a help, you're a hindrance. You have nothing to contribute. One can form ice out of air, the other has the instrument of a god. All you have is long hair.*_

"Is there anything of that process left?" Ariel asked. "Does it have any weaknesses?"

Evil Manta barked a laugh. "You expect me to lay out all my soft spots for you?"

"No, no. But maybe there's some defect, some weak point."

"Princess, you are a fool. To come up and ask how to defeat one such as me. Especially when you have overcome my might more than once. Have you forgotten your past?"

_*You must be the worst one of all. Your friends think you're immature and dumb. You make mistakes all the time. You have a weapon you don't know how to use. Everyone hates you. You're useless.*_

Ariel blinked. Her friends were right. They were echoing everything she thought about herself. Of course, they would never _say_ anything like that...

No, they wouldn't.

Ariel snapped out of the hypnotic trance. She turned to Elsa and Rapunzel. "Girls, don't listen."

But she was too late. Rapunzel and Elsa swayed back and forth like stunned jellyfish, dreamy-eyed and dazed.

"Oh, please. Remember everything we've gone through together?" She shook Rapunzel by the shoulders. "It's not you talking, it's him. Don't listen to what he's saying."

"Oh, is he saying something?" Rapunzel asked. "I didn't hear a thing."

Ariel stopped shaking. She smiled.

"I listened," Elsa said. "What I heard is that Ariel is adventurous and determined. Rapunzel is artistic and sweet. And curious and resourceful."

"And Elsa is strong and wise," Rapunzel finished. She grasped Ariel's hand. Ariel reached out for Elsa's and grabbed hers. They looked into each other's eyes.

"Eugh," Evil Manta said. "Make me sick."

"Enough games," Elsa said. She swam up to Evil Manta and held open the book. "What do you know about this?"

Evil Manta peered through his glowing amber eyes. "The sands of time. A fragment that fell to Earth. A myth."

"I used to think mermaids were a myth," Elsa said. "So try again."

"If it's not a myth, then it's long destroyed."

"Guess again," Rapunzel said.

He grimaced. "If it's not been destroyed then it is somewhere none could reach it. Except the most powerful sorcerer in this era or any eras after."

"I think we've met him. He said it gives him control over time, and he needed us to give it more power."

"If a sorcerer found it, he won't have it for long. The magic needed would corrupt anyone with a weak human soul."

"He seemed fine to us," Rapunzel said.

The Evil Manta scowled. "Then why have you come to me? The mere dream of it turned me into this, and left me trapped in a mountain for centuries."

"Then it's true. You did try to find the grain of time?" Elsa asked.

"Isn't there any way to stop it?" Ariel asked.

Evil Manta leaned in closer. "You are trifling with divine artifacts. The power of the trident is a mere ripple compared to the tidal wave of time. Whatever plans are in place will only sow disorder, chaos, entropy. Just a few of my favorite things." He laughed. "So begone. I have no reason to help you."

The manta-man flipped and swam back into his cave, vanishing into the darkness. A rumble of heavy rock followed, sliding into place, leaving them isolated on the lifeless landscape.

"Well, he was no fun," Rapunzel said.

"Ariel, are you all right?" Elsa touched her on the shoulder.

"I'm trying to think," Ariel said. "I don't know what to do now."

The best thing they came up with was to leave this wretched place. At least returning to the Atlantica would brighten their spirits.

It didn't take long for the gloominess to fade and the seascape return to bright azure. Happy merpeople and bright tangy fish passed by. But Ariel felt like she'd swam into a dead-end tunnel. They had achieved nothing. No solution, no new knowledge. All they could do was escape their problems.

"Maybe we'll just have to stay under the sea forever," Ariel said.

"We can't do that," Rapunzel said with a giggle. "We have kingdoms to look after. I have a husband. So do you."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, guys. I thought we'd be safe down here, but we're just leaving the humans on their own. We need to do something, but I... I don't have any idea."

"It's okay," Rapunzel said. "Sometimes the best thing to do is sit and think. When I was painting a new wall, I would lay in bed for hours, thinking of ideas."

Ariel nodded. "My grotto was like that. But... it's not so secret now, for one thing. And not all my memories of it are good. But it is a good place to-"

"Elsa?" a voiced called out.

A brown-haired merman was swimming towards them.

"Gil?" Elsa's eyes lit up.

"I saw your hair. You're the only mermaid I know with hair that... white."

"Oh... yeah. It is kind of... unusual. Around here, I guess." Elsa coughed. "Sorry I had to leave so suddenly. Me and my friends are working on something and we had to... go talk to someone. Time is of the essence."

"Oh... yeah. I understand," Gil nodded.

Ariel swam between them. "But she's free now, though." Ariel nudged her forward. "She's all done. But we've got someplace we need to be. See you, Elsa."

"Wait, what?" Elsa said.

Ariel swam off, Rapunzel following with an equally big grin. "We'll be at the grotto. Gil knows where it is."

"Yep," Gil said. Elsa hoped her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. Her pale skin was an automatic lie detector.

Gil kicked the end of his tail idly forward. "So, um, what would you like to do?"

"I don't know. I'm new here, so I'm not sure what there is."

"Well, you said you didn't know about seahorses. Would you like to ride one?"

Elsa swallowed. She nodded.


	25. Vocal Romantic Stimulation

The _Coral Corral_ , as Gil's grandfather had named it, had lots in common with human ranches, like a barn. It was globular like a giant snail shell and carved from sea rock, but it was a barn. Instead of a fence, ropes tied the seahorses' prehensile tales to stakes in the seabed. Giant seahorses had the broad chest and musculature of fine stallions.

They poked their snouts into patches of kelp, looking for brine shrimp and plankton. One of them, colored porcelain with a pineapple mane and amber eyes, crept right up to her. A regular horse might be looking for an apple or sugar cube, but this one was content to observe. It regarded her for a moment, then sneezed.

Elsa shirked back, startled, then laughed at herself.

"That's Whitecap. She's getting over a cold," Gil said.

Bubbles floated out of the seahorse's snout.

"They're beautiful," Elsa said.

"When we were little, Ariel's sisters picked the prettiest horses. Ariel wanted the fastest. She'd race anyone she could find."

Elsa had seen how fast Ariel could swim. "Please, don't pick the fastest one for me."

"I won't. I think... Ripple is more your style."

He swam to a peach-colored seahorse, nibbling at the seaweed. "I need to grab the saddles. You two get to know each other." He detached the tether, slammed it in her hand, then swam into the barn.

 

The seahorse didn't even know it had been detached. It kept eating placidly. Meanwhile, Elsa's breath quickened and her blood tingled. This seahorse could zip away any second. Then what would she do? Where was Gil? He seemed to be taking forever.

What was she doing here anyway? This was the sort of thing for Anna, not her. She was a queen. She didn't go sightseeing on seahorseback with a boy... merman... whatever.

And forget about being human. What were they going to talk about? What if she couldn't think of anything to say? Stupid Ariel and Rapunzel, setting her up like this.

Gil emerged, carrying two clamshell saddles under each arm. An ochre mermare trailed behind him.

"This is Seaspray." Gil said. Seaspray nuzzled Elsa, pushing his nose into her hands. Gil attached the saddle and bridle to Ripple, who stood like an old patient dog.

"Go ahead and get on while I prep Seaspray," Gil said.

"Get on?" Elsa muttered to herself.

Any princess was expected to learn equestrianism. She learned at age eight how to ride a horse into town, on parades, or recreationally. But those times, she had two legs to straddle the horse.

Ripple raised its head, as if sensing someone was about to ride. Where did her tail go? Up the seahorse's back? Or was she supposed to ride on her stomach, like a sled? She tried laying in the saddle's cradle, the reins under her arms like a seat belt.

"What... what are you doing?" Gil appeared above her, riding sidesaddle with his tail to the side.

"Just... uh..." She repositioned herself to mirror how Gil was sitting. "Getting comfortable."

"Is this the first time you've ridden a giant seahorse?"

"No!" Elsa said. "No... no, no, no. Well, yes."

Gil smiled. "It's easy. Just keep clear of the dorsal fin--that's how they propel themselves. And use the reins to tweak their ear-fins." Gil positioned Seaspray alongside her. "I know this great spot on a drop-off. You can see all of Atlantica from there. Er, if that's where you'd like to go."

"That sounds wonderful," Elsa said.

Gil snapped his reins--a dull thwack in the underwater environment--and Seaspray took off. Ripple followed without prompting.

The joy of swimming as a mermaid, unencumbered by gravity or awkward legs, was forgotten as soon as the seahorses took off. Elsa's fingers trembled as the water singed her cheeks and surged through her hair. They slipped in sinuous motion, but despite the terror, she couldn't stop grinning. And unlike regular horses, there was no roar of galloping hooves. She could actually have a conversation.

"Is this fun or what?" Gil asked.

"This is amazing!" Elsa shouted, unladylike. She tried pulling the reins, a little away from Gil. Then notice their seahorses' tails had intertwined. "Do they always swim like that?"

"In a pair, they do. It's easier to swim that way. It's also how to tell if they're more inclined to couple. Ripple and Seaspray are actually mates."

"Oh." Elsa felt a blush, although she didn't know what she had to be embarrassed about.

"Not- not that I did that on purpose. I just thought... Ripple's a gentle ride-" Gil said.

"No, no, I understand." She cleared her throat as Gil looked away.

The seahorses soared over a wilderness of tangled polyps and dense seaweed. Turtles bobbed up and down in their wake. They passed a gargantuan sphere of silver fish swimming in synchronization, like shooting stars en masse.

Gil pulled them back at a crossroads. A manta held up a green clamshell and red clamshell while rainbow-colored mackerel zipped by.

"How was last night for you? Was it fun?" Gil asked.

"The dance? Oh, yes. It was like a fantasy."

Gil grinned. "You've really never been to Atlantica before?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "This is a whole new world... for me."

The manta let them through and they continued further into the void, wheeling like a glittering train. Gil pointed out what looked like an underwater waterfall. White and sand and silt filtered off a high shelf in a slow cascade, like a shower of glittering diamonds. They passed reefs full of stony coral and whipping tendrils of kelp, mighty geysers, underwater plumes of lava, and curtains of tickly bubbles.

At a smooth cliff face, Gil pulled back on his reins. Seaspray rose higher and so did Ripple. Once at the top, Gil dismounted. He tied the reins around a piece of driftwood embedded in the ground. Elsa shimmied off her horse.

"Don't look yet," Gil said.

Elsa closed her eyes. "At what?"

It sounded like Gil was tying up Ripple. Then his hands rested on her shoulders. Elsa's stomach flipped. He rotated her, then pushed a few lengths forward.

"Okay... now."

Elsa opened her eyes and gasped. Atlantica's expanse lay before her. The castle glowed with divine radiance, towering over the surrounding domain. Mermaids darted in and out through umber archways of old ruins and pewter globe labyrinths as big as houses. Millions of tiny dots--fish and other sea creatures--coursed through the kingdom in swirls of cream and lemon.

"That there's the marketplace." Gil pointed to a low area with rows of cramped stalls and performers. "Way in the distance you can see Eel-lectric city." A pinkish-purple haze glowed in the darkness, vibrating with energy.

"This is incredible," Elsa said, after many minutes of astonishment.

Gil pulled something out of his saddlebag. "I figured we could have a picnic here, if you want."

"Yes, please," Elsa said, forgetting about the bland, salty sea food.

He unrolled the sack. Most of the food was green or blue--some kind of sandwiches, a bowl of mushy soup, assorted vegetables. "We've got sea cucumber sandwiches, kelp wraps, coral blossom stew. And these are my favorite. Seaweed cookies with little plankton drops." He took a bite of one. "Mmm."

Elsa tried one. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. Certainly not a cookie, but a fair substitute.

"These were the only things I ate when I was little," Gil said. "I asked my mother to make them all the time. More than seaweed cake or prawn pie."

"So your mother wasn't a noblewoman," Elsa said, deducing that they had no servant or chef.

"Her? Naw. That's part of the reason we don't have a grand castle or anything."

"So you're not a formal part of the kingship. Does that get to be a problem?" Elsa asked.

"No, I like it just fine. We don't strut around with medals or crowns. I mean, yeah, it's a rougher life, but I think it's more satisfying. You see a new foal prancing around and you think 'I did that, I made that happen'. I wouldn't trade it for the castle."

"What do you like best about being a sea horse rancher?" Elsa asked before taking a bite of sandwich.

"I don't know. The whole thing--working with my family, following my own schedule, that feeling you get when you rest after a long day of hard work."

"It must be great to do something you're passionate about."

"What about you?" Gil asked. "What's your job?"

"Well, I'm, uh... sort of, uh... I'm kinda... royalty too."

"Really? That's awesome. Do you come to the castle often? Cause I've never seen you before last night."

Gil's gorgeous eyes widened, and Elsa had to look away. She rolled a piece of fruit in her hands. "Look, before this goes any further, there's something you should know. I'm not really a mermaid."

Gil took a breath, looking out onto Atlantica. "You're human. I kinda figured that."

"You did?"

"Well, for one thing, you don't seem so natural on a seahorse. And truth be told, you look nothing like anyone else. I mean in a good way. Your hair is so white. Only old merpeople have hair that light." He stammered, flailing his hands. "Er, I don't mean you're old. It was just, I mean-"

"It's okay," Elsa laughed. She explained how Ariel had transformed her, focusing on their friendship and leaving out the crisis. "It doesn't bother you that I'm human? I thought there was some sort of taboo around humans and mermaids."

Gil shrugged. "True. But it seems to have worked out for Ariel. Besides, I think we have a lot in common. We're both royalty, but we're not big fans of grandeur or bureaucracy."

"We both have horses and ranches. Parties and music and literature," Elsa added.

"I think attitudes about the human world are starting to change. And that's thanks to Ariel. Merpeople aren't as afraid as they were before. Myself, I never had a problem with humans."

"That's good." Elsa played with the still unbitten fruit in her hands. "I'm actually a queen. Of a kingdom called Arendelle."

"Wow, a queen. You'll have to show me on a map. Is it a big kingdom?"

"About the size of Atlantica, I guess." She glanced onto the shining city. "But not as beautiful."

"As long as they don't have six bickering sisters, I'm sure it's a fine kingdom." Gil chuckled.

Elsa sighed. "It's no different. I don't think my people like me much."

"What? Go on. Why?" Gil said, with disbelief.

"They think I'm... cold."

"Oh, come on. That's not-"

"No, they're right. I keep my feelings inside. I'm pessimistic. I put duty first. And I'm always anxious around people."

"You don't seem that way now."

"Maybe because of Atlantica. It's so alive and jubilant. I wish I could stay down here forever--I've never been happier. Maybe because I don't feel like I have to be myself."

Gil sidled closer to her. "Sometimes, we all just need someone willing to break the ice."

He reached over and held Elsa's hand. She didn't cringe as usual when touched by surprise. Instead the sensation was warm, comforting, like a fuzzy blanket.

The two of them held hands and watched the city of Atlantica transition to night.

* * *

"Oh... This... wasn't what I expected," Rapunzel said, voice descending from disappointment. Behind her, the stone dropped back over the cavern's entrance.

"It's like a museum." Rapunzel picked up a cracked glass cylinder with a hanging spring. "This is where you kept all the human stuff you found?"

"Uh-huh," Ariel said.

"What about all these books? Do you think we could find something about the grain here?"

"I don't think any of them go that far back. Besides, they're all destroyed."

Rapunzel looked over the floor. Glass shards, ripped books, and torn frames of art. "Did a whale get in here?" Rapunzel asked.

"No... my father." Ariel floated in the middle of the room, hanging her head. "When he found out I'd fallen in love with a human, he exploded. He destroyed every human thing I had with his trident."

Ariel twirled the same trident in her hands. Uncomfortable, she leaned it against the wall next to a charred boulder. She hadn't been in her grotto since all her possessions were destroyed. There had never been a reason to come back. In fact, it started her on the path that made her human.

She picked up a flat, wood-stained box lined with velvet. "I used to have twenty thingamabobs. Now there's only three. Two gadgets. Not even one gizmo."

Rapunzel looked over her shoulder. "Those are corkscrews."

"Yes, I know that now. I know a tapplehooper's not a pen. It's a door, not a house hole. Carpet is not floor softener."

Rapunzel sidle-swam along the shelves, inspecting the trinkets. There were parts of scissors, binoculars, a sextant, the handle of a violin, the lens of a telescope. "He really did a number on this place."

"The funny thing is, he only ever lost his temper with me. He'd do anything for his people. They loved him. He was wise, responsible, and gracious. And my sisters, he never lost his patience with them."

"Because they always did what he said," Rapunzel said, picking up the end of a pocket watch.

"It sounds like he could have taught them more. Someone at the Mermaid's Ball told me things aren't going so well. They never agree on anything, so they can't make any decisions."

"The court conductor said Atlantica's nervous about its future. Which makes sense, with the new rulers. And no one knows what to think about humans anymore."

"I think they're especially angry at me. They think I hate being a mermaid. I think they resent that I left."

"Maybe they were just taking it out on you?" Rapunzel said. "I never had sisters so I don't know."

"Why can't they just be responsible for their own kingdom? Why can't they learn to put aside their differences and do what's best for Atlantica?"

As soon as Ariel said it, she froze. What she had just said was the exact opposite of how she treated her own kingdom. Her port city was being deprived of its most valuable resource. And she wasn't stepping in to stop it.

Nor was she acting as the rightful queen. Her sisters were sitting in on committee meetings, signing laws. She wasn't taking the time to learn her new role in the human world. But she had no problem forcing her views on them.

"What's this?"

Rapunzel pointed to an askew square slab on the bottom shelf. Ariel scratched her head. She pulled it out and heaved it on the floor. Behind was a half-sized treasure chest, stained black.

"Oh," Ariel said with realization. "Remember how I told you I used to go exploring in shipwrecks, looking for treasures and human artifacts?"

"Yeah."

"Not all of them were very nice."

She pulled the box out. It had a flat top and dark iron metal bands. Two rings hung on each side. "I kept this box locked away. I'm not sure why. I didn't know if it was dangerous or not. But something about the ship I pulled them from... I just knew they weren't things that represented the best of humanity."

"But you kept them anyway."

Ariel shrugged. "They were human stuff."

"But maybe now there's something we can use," Rapunzel said.

Ariel jimmied the rusty lock open. The top tray held a stiletto knife and a vial labeled poison.

"What's this do?" Rapunzel picked up a metal pear.

"I don't know. But when you turn the crank it does this." The bottom of the pear split into three segments, spreading further away. It didn't answer Rapunzel's confusion, so she closed it back up.

Under the tray lay a black metal box. "I never opened this," Ariel said. "I don't think I wanted to try." The lock crumbled as soon as Ariel touched it. Lichen and barnacles had eaten it away. She flipped the lid.

Inside were papers and folders. Many held long, fluid script that had eroded to scrap.

"Look at this map," Ariel said. "Here is Arendelle, Corona. But what are these islands where the lines are connected?"

"That's the Southern Isles. And the trade routes all lead back to the Weselton. I learned about this when I was helping Anna out with government stuff." Rapunzel picked up the documents and began reading. "Hmm... remuneration... currency of international... Interesting..."

"What?" Ariel asked.

"They're banking records. Super old. But if I'm reading them right, they're all debt notices to other countries and families. With Weselton as the creditor. And this..."

Rapunzel picked out a letter, in plain script and lower quality paper. "'Enclosed are the alleged documents, along with the evidence of forgery. Note the stamp. The Southern Isles did not adopt this logo until three years after this document would have been written. Compare differences in the wreath and crest. There are too many leaves. Our spymasters are locating the forger and will have a handwriting analysis ready upon your arrival. The international banquet will be a perfect time to present your findings. Most nations that also received these debt notices will be there, so have your evidence ready by then. And give them hell.'"

"So Weselton forged documents saying that other countries owed them money?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel paged through. "Looks like it."

"I wonder if this is something we can use against them. When we get back to land," Ariel said.

Rapunzel smiled. "Maybe. Money doesn't make much difference when there's a cannon aimed at your head. But if no one discovered they were counterfeit, they are still binding, even if they're from three generations ago. This would have been the Duke of Weselton's grandfather. Most of them are beholding to the Westergaard family."

"If they're still around, I imagine they wouldn't be happy to hear how they were swindled," Ariel said.

"It's lucky this was behind a rock or it would have been destroyed. It looks like the only things that survived were this box and this thing." She held up a clear glass bottle with a rolled up paper inside. "I assume this was from your 'message in a bottle' collection."

"I don't have a 'message in a bottle' collection."

Ariel examined it. It looked too new to be something of hers. All her objects were encrusted with grime and barnacles.

"Oh my gosh... oh my gosh. This is my letter." She sprang up. "This is what Arcius sent me. He didn't forget about me after all." It was strange referring to such a villain so excitedly. "Unh, I can't get the cork off."

Rapunzel tried, but failed as well. "How come we can't get it out? Magic?"

Rapunzel scratched her head as they stared at the innocuous bottle propped on a rock. "I guess we could break the bottle."

"Before that, we should take it back to the palace. Maybe there's something there we haven't thought of."

Gravel scraped against stone near the cavern entrance. Elsa slipped in and sashayed toward them, her cheeks glowing. Rapunzel and Ariel glanced at each other.

"So... did you have a good time?" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh, yes," Elsa replied. "We saw the giant sea lily garden, the seal pup park, the cave with all the crystals that shine like stars. It was amazing."

"Uh-huh," Rapunzel said with anticipation. "And what about Gil?"

"Gil? Oh," she coughed. "Yes, Gil is nice."

"Nice? Really? That's all?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yes, he's nice. He's a very nice, handsome, young man," Elsa said.

"Did you say handsome?" Ariel asked. Her eyebrows raised.

Elsa slumped into a grin. "Okay, he's amazing. He's so passionate and honest. A little awkward when it comes to personal questions, but funny. I couldn't believe how comfortable I was with him. It must be the sea air."

She twirled in the middle of the grotto, bubbles effervescing around her. "He didn't even talk about himself, he wanted to know about me. By the end, I was telling him things I'd never say to someone I'd only known a day. I told him about the time I got a cold on my sister's birthday, but I was so determined to give her a proper party, I kept ignoring it, until I was so feverish I was incoherent and dancing and I almost fell off the clock tower."

Elsa stopped spinning. She held her head. "Oh my gosh. Did I really tell him that? I can't believe I said that." She covered her eyes. "Please, quick, change the subject."

"We found this bottle," Rapunzel said, holding it up. "It might be Ariel's note from Arcius."

"But we can't get it open," Ariel added. "Even though it just looks like a cork. Which makes us think even more it might be from Arcius."

"Maybe there's something at the palace that can open it," Rapunzel said.

"So let's go," Elsa said. She opened the giant stone slab for them, a big smile on her face. Rapunzel and Ariel gave each other a knowing glance, and followed.

They swam across the blue expanse, side by side.

"We found an interesting bit of history in the grotto," Rapunzel said. "There was a lockbox with some debt notices inside. A bunch of counterfeit bank ledgers from a certain country we've been dealing with--the Duchy of Weselton."

"Weselton? But they've never borrowed from any countries. Not as far as I know. Wait..." She put a finger to his lips. "If I remember history right, Weselton came to power ninety years ago."

"That's when these documents would have been made. I'm guessing whoever was supposed to get this information wasn't successful."

"Maybe someone sent a naval force to Weselton to investigate, but they were lost at sea. So the evidence never got to them. And no one knew about it until now." Ariel said.

Rapunzel nodded enthusiastically. "And if that's true, Weselton's owes a huge stack of interest a bunch of kingdoms and important families. Once we get to land, we could contact Commander Ansel and see if any of those families are still..."

Rapunzel and Ariel realized Elsa had fallen behind. She had stopped in the middle of the water, staring at something in the distance.

"What? What is it?" Rapunzel asked.

Ariel looked at what Elsa was staring at. "That shipwreck? I had a nasty chase with a shark there once. That wasn't long... before..."

She trailed off as Elsa started towards the wreck. The ship had settled on a chunk of protruding rock. Tattered netting and what was left of the sails drifted back and forth. Torn out patches of hull allowed easy ingress. But it was in one piece. Even the mainmast was intact.

Elsa swam under the bow to where the vessel's "chest" would be.

"Elsa? What is it?" Ariel asked.

She reached up and wiped away the sea slime that had gathered on the hull. Bordered by lines of crocuses, there lay a giant stylized "A".


	26. Message in a Bottle

"A... for Arendelle?" Ariel asked. "Was this... your parents' ship? The ship that went down?"

Elsa nodded, tears beading.

Rapunzel and Ariel didn't know what to do, but wait for their friend to take action. She could do nothing for the moment, suspended by the awe of this discovery.

Elsa swam to the top deck. The sea had coated everything with lime green crust. Rotten wooden planks lay curled and bent in awkward positions. She floated over the forecastle, then dove into the quarter deck. Ariel and Rapunzel followed.

Elsa grasped the edges of the square hole and pulled herself in. It was dark and cloudy, with tiny particles of light filtering in from the broken windows and holes. Splintered timbers lay everywhere. Barrels remained stacked, but their tops had burst open from the pressure. Whatever contents they held had long since disintegrated.

"The royal quarters," Rapunzel whispered. She could imagine the dining table, butler, lamps, windows.

Ariel whispered "I think this was the dining room. Over there is where I found a dingle- I mean, a fork." She pointed to the broken picture window. "That's where the shark surprised me."

Elsa ran her hand over the carpet. It came off on her fingers as sludge. "One time, the cooks had the night off so Anna and I thought we should make dinner for our parents. She was six and I was eight. We told them to sit at the dining table and made them wait for hours while we tried to figure out how to cook."

An empty gold frame hung on the wall, its picture long torn out by bottom feeders and scavengers. "This used to be a portrait of Anna and I. We were looking to the left because the sun was in our eyes."

She swam around the room until she came to a closed door. The bedroom. Her hand hovered over the door handle. They could still be in there, their skeletons fallen into the bed frame. Although if the boat was tossing from a storm, they wouldn't have been asleep. They would have been topside, trying to help.

Elsa pushed the door open.

No bodies. No bed. A birdcage lay on the floor, turned on its side. "We had birds in our backyard garden. Mother kept them there, kept the bad bugs out. Anna dragged Father out and said they had to be knighted as official protectors of the royal Arendelle garden. I saw it from my window."

Elsa swam to the opposite corner, to an empty shelf of books. She scanned the titles, then grabbed one. It crumbled into mush. The leather retained the imprint of her hand.

"Father would read me fairy tales. But he never read the real endings if it was sad. He changed them so the princess didn't die or the young man got his sight back."

Ariel and Rapunzel stayed just outside the doorway, giving her space. They dare not say a thing as Elsa explored the room.

She approached a vanity huddled in a corner, the oval frame empty of mirror glass. But a golden comb lay in the open drawer. Elsa curled her fingers around it. "He gave me my first geometry book at Christmas. It was to help my boredom. This was the Christmas after Anna's accident... my accident. I was eleven, she was eight. He closed the gates, reduced all the staff, made it so I hardly had to see anyone."

"They were teaching me to be a ruler. And I listened to everything they said. A leader has to be stalwart and steadfast. Never show emotion. Never shed tears. The same way you control your powers. Conceal, don't feel," Elsa said.

She stared into the mirrorless frame. "Well, look where that got me. I was their eldest daughter. I was the future queen. You didn't want me to lose control in the middle of court."

Her voice broke, her lips quivered, but she never broke gaze. "You made me so scared. Scared of myself, scared of my powers. But I didn't put the gloves on. You did. You _made_ me put them on."

"Elsa?" Rapunzel and Ariel asked.

"I was just a kid. You thought that was protecting me. You thought suppressing it would keep me safe. Keep everyone safe. I spent all those years trying to control it. And it was all for nothing. I missed any fun. I missed my sister. You took away her memories. You took away any relationship we had." Her voice suddenly stabilized from a quaking shiver to solid red heat. "Did you think ignoring it was going to solve the problem? Did you think I was just going to get over it?"

A white effervescent glow surrounded Elsa, sparkling with ice particles. Her eyes lost the bright blue iris and glowed white.

"What were you afraid of? Were you afraid that I would hurt you?"

Elsa raised a fist. BAM! A giant icicle extended from her knuckles, penetrating through the oval frame to the hull. "Were you afraid of your precious legacy?" BAM! Another icicle. Another hole. "By your cursed daughter?" BAM! "Did you have any concern for me? For my life?"

The ice particles grew until they became globular spheres of slushy ice. Her shoulders grew small ice spikes.

"Elsa? Elsa!" Rapunzel and Ariel called.

"I missed all those years. I missed my life. And it was your fault. Your fault." Elsa whipped around, slicing great tears in the ship. She gouged the floor below her as the ship were a monster she was stabbing. "Well, look at me now! Can I control my powers now? Does this look like CONTROL?"

Shards of wood and iron flew everywhere. Ariel and Rapunzel covered their eyes for protection. Then they heard the giant, groaning creak. Masses of bubbles rose out of the ship's cracks.

Elsa thrashed about, rending and cleaving the room. A cloud of wreckage swirled around her like a cyclone.

Rapunzel caught sight of a ceiling joist falling out of place above them. She pulled Ariel out of the way just in time.

"Elsa! Elsa, stop!" Crashing of breaking walls overwhelmed her voice. The ship emitted another low groan, this one sounding final.

Ariel spiraled forward, tackled Elsa by the torso, and continued through the rear window. Rapunzel followed, barreling out as the aft deck collapsed.

Elsa struggled to free herself, but Ariel didn't let her go until they were clear. When Elsa opened her eyes, they were normal. The white aura of freezing water disappeared.

"Wh- what happened?"

A tremendous crash answered. Back at the ship, the main mast toppled like a felled tree. Rising clouds of disturbed sand consumed the rest of the ship. It sounded like a cannon. In a few moments, all that was left was a gray mist.

* * *

"I am so, so sorry."

"We know." Rapunzel said. Even she was getting sick of Elsa's constant apologizing.

Elsa sat at a table in the palace's study, a blanket draped over her shoulders. Books and documents lay out in front of them both, preparing for research on their new evidence.

"It was like a landslide or an eruption or a flood. Or whatever weather phenomenon that has a slow build up then an explosion of force. It was like everything inside me lost its seal. It kept building and building and then it just... it felt like I could have frozen the whole ocean."

"We know. You said that three times," Rapunzel said. "We understand."

Elsa looked away. What she hadn't said was how liberating it felt. How freeing to act out like that.

Ariel reappeared behind her chair. She held out a cup. "Here. I tried everything and this tasted the most like tea that I could find."

Elsa took it with quivering hands and sipped the warm beverage.

Ariel watched with expectant eyes. "Does it taste like tea?"

"A little." Elsa sipped again. She licked her lips. "It's uh, kinda... no, not really. Nothing like tea." A tiny wisp of a smile crossed Elsa's face. "Not even close." Elsa snickered.

That started Ariel giggling. Rapunzel followed, and soon all their chuckling turned into full-bodied laughs. The tension around the table diffused.

Elsa propped her head on her hand, still laughing. "I'm sorry, guys. I just... I don't know. When I saw their room it was like they were alive again. And all those feelings I didn't know I had before came out."

"We always remember things the way we want to," Rapunzel said. "You blamed yourself for what happened, but... like you said, they're the ones that put the gloves on."

Elsa nodded. She sniffed, and put her cup down. "All right. We need to take care of business."

Ariel held up a giant crab claw, which she had also fetched from the kitchen while getting Elsa's not-tea.

Rapunzel held the bottle in the middle of the table. Ariel clamped the claw around the little bit of cork that stuck out.

"Here goes." Ariel twisted as hard as she could. The bottle trembled as the cork shimmied up and popped off. Sea water mixed in and darkened the paper.

Rapunzel dug her slender fingers in, and pulled the scroll out.

> _Before the cosmos formed, when matter was dust and energy feeble, there were the sands of time. Ever pouring, ever rolling, with no ending and no beginning. A flow that never slows down. That never stops. That never turns back._
> 
> _Then came the gods. They ruled as gods do, as a child rules an anthill. Noliet, the trickster god, convinced Ytr, a war god, to impale the falls with his unident._

"A unident?" Elsa asked.

"Like a trident, except with one point," Ariel said.

"That's a spear."

"Oh. Yeah, suppose it is."

Rapunzel continued.

> _Ytr's desires are unknown--perhaps to earn the love of another goddess, perhaps he wished his spear unsullied by the passing of time, perhaps he was dumb. Noliet's motive has no explanation. Chaos does not need one._
> 
> _The result was catastrophic. But none are left to know its nature. And when the weapon pulled back out, a single grain of sand lay on the blade leaf._
> 
> _The gods' time in this realm grew short. The demigods were rising. It was time to pass on. But Noliet lay one last seed of discord. He left the grain of time in the hands of the demigods._
> 
> _The two sides engaged in war. Those who didn't seek its replacement desired to possess it selfishly. But its power could only be harnessed by the strongest magicks. Even demigods degenerated into shambles trying to use it. In the end, to cease the war, it was thrown into the realm of mortals._

Rapunzel flipped to the back. "That's it? That's not any help!"

"Okay, okay, let's not panic," Elsa said. "Maybe there's some further meaning. I mean, mine was in code."

"And mine was invisible without sunlight," Rapunzel said. "Arcius said these notes were for us and only us. It could only be read by our special talents."

Ariel took the paper. "It's seaweed paper. It has to be immersed in ocean water to be read, otherwise it doesn't show. But merpeople do. Maybe it would have been more secret if I was human."

Elsa played with the bottle, spinning it between her fingers. "My letter showed how to get to the island." She pointed at Rapunzel. "Yours told us how to get around the island." She pointed at Ariel. "And yours... told us... _why_ we should get to the island?"

"I don't know," Ariel said. "Why does he have to be so cryptic?"

Elsa bonked the bottle to her head, trying to kickstart her brain. She noticed the end. "Hey, does this mean anything?"

She pointed to an symbol embossed in the bottle's bottom.

"I recognize that!" Ariel said. "That's the insignia of my kingdom. I mean, not Atlantica. My human kingdom. With Eric."

"Whoever made this bottle might have had contact with Arcius. They may know something about him. It's a slim chance, but it's our only one," Rapunzel said.

"There aren't that many glassmakers," Ariel said. "A little detective work and we could find it."

"This doesn't make sense," Elsa said. "Arcius is a powerful sorcerer. Maybe the most powerful one in the world--he has the ability to control time. Why would he use a bottle from a small city? Did it just float by? Why didn't he just conjure up a bottle?"

"Maybe it's a kind of message," Rapunzel ventured. Her eyes widened. "You don't think he's holding the kingdom hostage?"

"No, he would have told us so." Elsa tapped her finger on the bottle's bottom. "If he was forced to use an empty bottle, he must have limitations."

"Maybe he has trouble leaving the island," Ariel said.

"And that would explain why he hasn't tried pursuing us yet," Rapunzel added.

Elsa nodded. "Either he can't or he won't. Maybe he doesn't want to leave his precious grain unprotected. And if that's the case, maybe he didn't send those notes himself. Maybe someone else did it for him."

"And that someone is squatting in MY kingdom." Ariel furrowed her brows.

Elsa rose. The blanket fell off her shoulders. "Ladies, it's time to head back to the surface."

* * *

Elsa tied the scroll with a piece of wormy yarn. She squeezed a dollop of brown paste from a cartilaginous shell on the seam. Ariel assured her it was just as good as a wax seal.

"Now, you will make sure this gets to him, right? Make sure that he reads it," Elsa said.

Dudley saluted with his right flipper. "Eh... don't... worry... about... a... thing... The mail... always... gets... through," the sea turtle wheezed. He trotted off down the hallway.

Rapunzel and Ariel strolled around the corner. Ariel pointed in a "here you are" gesture.

"What's that?" Rapunzel asked. "You're sending a letter?"

"A letter to whooooo?" Ariel asked.

Elsa stiffened. "No one."

"Come on. In the short time we've been here, who could you know well enough to send a letter to?"

"Fine, it's Gil. I'm not going to be able to see him before we leave. It would be bad manners to leave him hanging."

"What does the letter say?"

Elsa blushed, but remained steadfast. "A lady does not divulge her personal communiques."

"Come on, please?" Ariel asked, holding up her clasped hands.

"No, it's for his eyes only."

Ariel and Rapunzel pouted. "Fine," Ariel said. "I guess I should say goodbye to my sisters too. Meet me outside the palace entrance."

Rapunzel and Elsa held hands and swam away. Ariel turned in a different direction, heading to the great hall behind the throne room. Attina and Aquata sat at opposite ends with fierce expressions on their faces, reading through documents and scrolls. The four others between them looked bored.

"I'm leaving now. Back to the surface. I wanted to say goodbye?" She couldn't help hedging by making her request a question.

Attina and Aquata gave her a side-eye, but Alana, Adella, Arista, and Andrina swam up to her and hugged.

"Don't be a stranger now," Andrina said. "Come back any time."

"Seriously, save us," Adella whispered jokingly.

"It was so short," Alana said. "We didn't get to have a welcoming celebration... or a parting celebration or anything."

"I know. But we found out something and I need to get back. There are people on the surface who need me," Ariel said.

"It seems like you were barely here," Arista said.

"Hmph," Attina uttered. "She was barely here when she lived in the palace."

The other sisters released her. Ariel took a jaunt forward. Attina and Aquata straightened up, holding themselves like a pair of grand emperors. "Attina, Aquata. Please find a way to get along with everyone. For Atlantica's sake?"

Attina gave her another side-eye, then turned back to her reading.

Aquata's eyes glanced at the trident at Ariel's side. "I suppose you'll be needing that with you still."

"Yes, just for a little while longer. If that's okay?"

Aquata sneered. "I guess I can't stop you. If it's as important as you say it is. Just don't lose it. It's only the key to ruling the sea kingdom."

Ariel grimaced. That was all the good she was going to be able to do. After saying her final goodbyes and headed out.

She turned to the throne room where the chair for the sea king was not empty. An old friend was snoozing away, head on his front claws like a resting feline. She crept up, not wishing to wake him.

"Sebastian," she whispered. "Wake up. I'm leaving."

His thick lips continued to puff and blow air out in a snore.

"Come on, Sebastian. I don't want to give you nightmares about cookpots again." She poked him in the back of his shell.

He sleepily opened his eyes. "Oh. Ar-re-ell."

"I just wanted to say goodbye. I'm leaving."

"Oh? But you just got here."

"I know. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. But my friends need me."

Sebastian smiled like a wise old man. Like King Triton smiled. Maybe they had spent so much time together he'd adopted his appearance.

"Sebastian, how did Daddy die?"

"Ah-ree-ell... sumtimes, it is just our time. Maybe he'd done everyting he needed to in this life. But he did great tings before-"

"No, I mean, for real," Ariel said. "Arista said Daddy died of a broken heart. What really happened? I know there's something people are keeping from me."

Sebastian's eyes bulged. "Keeping... sumting? Heh, heh, like what?" He shrugged his claws.

"Come on, Sebastian. Do you think that's going to work? You're the worst secret-keeper in all of Atlantica. In fact, this all started because you told Daddy about me being in love with a human." She smiled. "In fact, you might say I have you to thank."

Sebastian chuckled humbly, swishing a claw at her.

"Is it that they think I'm too young? I'm married now. I'm a princess. I can-"

"No, no, nut-ting like dat. Dey just... dey just don't... ah-re-ell, you got enough trubbles on de surface."

"Sebastian..." Ariel pouted. It was the same look when he was about to march back to the king after she got legs. "Please?"

"All right, all right. You not gonna like it. He... he choked. On a piece of fish."

Ariel reared back. "He was eating a piece of fish?"

"Yes... it's true. I don't know how he got de idea. When you left, he changed his colors more dan an octopus. He was so proud. He told everyone how you were so brave. And how wrong he'd been about humans. He started visiting the surface again. Just to watch the boats. He helped de sailors in trouble, when he could."

"Really?" Ariel never realized what impact her actions had when she left. She didn't know anything had changed.

"He was doing everyting he could to prove to come out of his shell. But then... I guess he wanted to swim that last mile."

"So he tried eating fish?" Ariel gasped. "How did he... I mean, I can't imagine..."

"I guess he figured you were doing de same. Fish got to eat otter fish." Sebastian nodded. "Had it prepared and everyting. Only me and his daughters knew. I was dere de whole time. But den... it got caught in his throat..."

Ariel's hands went up to her own throat. Her eyes teared up. "That's why Attina and Aquata blame me," Ariel said. "If I hadn't left, Daddy wouldn't have died."

"No, no, child. I know he don't blame nobody." Sebastian patted her hand. "It was just an ach-see-dent. De same ting coulda happened de next day on a plankton wrap. Don't tink it was you for a minute. De girls, dey have dere own trubbles. You got yours. And speakin' of which. You got to get back to dem, don't you?"

Ariel gripped the trident in her hands. "Thanks, Sebastian. For everything."

"You go on, child. You go make your fadder proud. You always did."

She picked Sebastian up and gave him a kiss on his fleshy head. He shied away. "Oh, well, come on..."

Ariel swam out of the castle and met Rapunzel and Elsa at the entrance.

"You okay?" Elsa asked, seeing Ariel's melancholy expression.

"Yeah," Ariel replied. "Just learned some interesting things about my father."

"Like what?" Rapunzel asked.

"Nothing. Nothing important. Let's go."

Ariel led the way, taking them out many miles. They headed east, closer to coastline. The seabed steadily rose. Dense populations of fish and bright colors waned.

Ariel was too thoughtful to make conversation. She loved her father, but she always saw him as a stubborn tyrant, setting rules that made no sense. He'd banned all music from Atlantica. He declared absolute isolation from the surface. He forbid any contact with humans or human things.

For the year following her marriage, she never wondered about the impact of her actions on her old world. Did that mean she was responsible for them? And did she have to take care of those consequences? Clearly, Daddy wanted to make amends. But it was making those amends that killed him.

In the distance, they could see beginnings of a dropoff. The waters were pushing and pulling them like a heavy wind.

"Are those boats?" Rapunzel pointed out oval shadows above them.

"Yes," Ariel said. "That's just the luck we need. We'll transform close to the surface, then swim up. We'll act like shipwreck victims."

The three of them ascended, pressure squeezing their ears.

"Do you hear that? It's like thunder," Elsa said. "I hope there's not a storm."

The water was too murky--stirred up by the ships--to get a clear view of the sky.

Five fathoms away, Ariel stopped. "Okay, who wants to go first? I'll have to change last."

"I will," Elsa said.

Ariel held out the golden trident, glowing like a marigold sun. A beam of light enveloped Elsa in a bright, gentle glow. Rapunzel had to shield her eyes. When she could look again, Elsa was already gone, kicking her legs to the surface.

"You're getting pretty good with that," Rapunzel said. "You even gave her a dress."

"Maybe. I feel a little more confident."

Rapunzel held out her arms waiting for her turn.

Ariel pointed the trident at her. Golden light flowed out and, a moment later, she was swimming up, her braid spiraling behind her.

Finally, Ariel pointed the tines at her own chest. After the bright yellow aura blocked her eyes, then came the familiar sensation of her tail splitting in two. But this time it was painless. Before the final moments of the spell, she took a deep breath. Then she crawled upward with all her might.

Ten feet from the surface, she heard muffled thunder. As she broke the surface, she threw her head back to keep the hair out.

The seas were so rough she couldn't open her eyes. First she noticed the air--thick with gunpowder and smoke, burning wood, and hot metal. Sails flapped and shuddered amidst panicked wails and shouted orders. Ariel opened her eyes.

Galleons and clippers pitched all around them. Mighty ships swirled around each other, firing cannons. Sailors swung across ropes. Muskets and hooks dropped into the water. Elsa coughed from the thick smoke.

"How did we get in the middle of a war zone?" Elsa shouted.

"What is going on?" Rapunzel shouted. "Is this the right place?"

Ariel caught a glimpse of her castle between two ships, far in the distance on a promontory. A galleon traversed the circle of battle. Its figurehead bobbed into the ocean and back out. All Eric's ships had one.

"That's my castle. These are my ships," Ariel shouted.

"Then why are they fighting mine?"

Elsa pointed at another clipper with a different banner. As it turned hard to port to face its cannons, the hull presented a fashioned A, surrounded by a wreath of crocuses.

Ariel's mouth dropped open. She and Elsa looked at each other. "We're at war?"


	27. Return from the Sea

A deep whistle. Then, behind Elsa and Rapunzel, an explosion of water. They shrieked and paddled closer to Ariel. Huge waves buffeted them about.

"How could this have happened?" Rapunzel shouted over the cannon fire. "How long have we been gone?"

"Who knows-" Elsa had another coughing fit. She waved away the embers that floated like fireflies.

"We've got to get aboard one of these ships," Rapunzel said.

"No!" Elsa shouted. "We can't. It's too dangerous."

"It's too dangerous _down here_ ," Rapunzel said.

"As soon as one ship sees their kingdom's ruler, they'll fire everything they've got. We'll become a target."

"I can go. There's no Corona ships," Rapunzel said.

"You're my cousin," Elsa responded. "You're just as good."

"Let's change back," Ariel said. "We'll swim under and get-"

"Look out!" Elsa pointed behind Ariel.

A streaking black billet spun across the battlefield, knocking into a splintered mast. With an enormous groan, the pole toppled toward them like a falling tree. Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel scattered away.

The mast smacked the water like a giant flat hand, spreading swells in all directions. Ariel tumbled into the thick waves and sputtered back up. Her two friends were gone.

She tried to call for them, but the sea and storm couldn't carry her voice. She dove under, searching for falling bodies. If they'd hit their head or been dragged under.... But she didn't find them. Not enough light.

She emerged. A body floated face down next to her. She screamed and paddled away. Two more corpses bobbed behind her, lifeless as wood.

Ariel clung to the fallen mast, battling the salt spray in her hair and eyes. Grapeshot and chains pelted the water like deadly raindrops. Gunpowder exploded in dull bursts. Even arrows were flying across the gaps between ships.

Then she saw them--Elsa and Rapunzel, hanging on to a rope on the side of a boat. The ocean clutched at their half-submerged bodies, as the galleon spun.

Ariel detached from the mast and with her stubby human arms and legs, swam over to them. Another throaty whistle sounded overhead. A white ceramic jar spun end over end and smashed against the hull above Elsa and Rapunzel.

It exploded into a massive fireball a second later. A huge chunk of the ship became engulfed in flame. The shockwave forced Elsa and Rapunzel back into the water. The ship listed to its side as the men aboard shouted about the fire. Others plunged off the side.

Ariel swam toward the capsizing ship. Sailors tossed in the water swam towards each other, sabers in their teeth. They clashed, dueling man-to-man, oblivious of the three women. Nothing would stop them from fighting but death.

Elsa punctured the water next to Ariel, gasping for air.

Ariel grabbed her arm before she somehow escaped. "Elsa, where's Rapunzel?"

"I don't know! I don't know anything!" Her voice quavered, as if about to cry.

Ariel led her away from the clashing swords. A ceramic ball with a lit fuse fell into the water. It floated for a second, then detonated, sending a geyser into the air. Bodies flew. Ariel and Rapunzel ducked down.

"There," Elsa shouted as water flowed into her mouth.

Face down, her yellow hair twisted like a sea snake around her head. Her purple dress spread around her like so much flotsam.

Ariel crawled toward her, plunging again into the middle of battle, and flipped her supine. The color had drained from her face. Her lips were dull raisin.

Elsa grabbed a blasted-off door. Ariel hoisted Rapunzel on, struggling against the surging ocean. "We've got to get out of here."

Elsa spun the plank so Rapunzel's head faced her. "Wake up, wake up!" She tapped Rapunzel's cheeks.

"Hold on!" Ariel gripped the door with one hand and raised her trident with the other. The ocean water bulged upward, taller and taller, as if hauled by reverse gravity. Sailors caught in the pull found themselves rising, as if the ocean were made of taffy and some invisible giant were pulling its gooey center. Elsa held herself against Rapunzel's torso to keep her secure.

The tower crested over even the tallest mast. Ships caught at the base incline tilted away from the surrounding pillar of water. The sloping ocean shrank until she felt as if she were looking straight down.

"Hold on!" Ariel shouted again. She waved the trident.

Whatever magic kept the ocean suspended released. The water dropped away and they dropped with it. Trapped sailors spread in different directions. Each ship too, careened away from the battle as the force of the wave pushed everything out.

Elsa, Ariel, and Rapunzel tobogganed down the crested wave, past the ships, and rocketed toward the coast. Pelting droplets forced Elsa's eyes shut as her knuckles turned white.

They covered the distance in a few moments. The rushing water carried their waterlogged door smoothly, noiselessly, all the way to shore.

On the sand, Elsa pried her hands off and stood up on shaky legs. It had been days since she'd felt gravity, combined with the terror they'd just experienced.

Ariel crawled next to Rapunzel. "Rapunzel, wake up. Come on, please." She took Rapunzel's soaking hair and arranged it on her chest. "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine."

Elsa heaved Rapunzel upright. "She can't heal herself with her own hair. We'll have to do it the old-fashioned way." She clapped Rapunzel on the back with all her might.

Rapunzel's body trembled. She seized, chortled, and spat up a mass of water. Elsa kept whacking while thick, stringy strands of ocean coughed out.

"Ugh," she said. Ariel and Elsa hugged her, crying happy tears.

Elsa rubbed her back. "Everyone okay?" she asked.

"Does anyone know what that was?" Ariel asked. "Since when did Arendelle start a war?"

"What makes you think we started it?" Elsa asked indignantly.

"I don't," Ariel said. "I have no idea what's going on."

"None of us have had contact with our countries for a while," Rapunzel said. "But I can't believe Arendelle would go to war. It must have something to do with Hans's navy."

"But Arendelle was defending itself. Why are they here?" Elsa asked.

Rapunzel sighed. "I hope Ansel made it. I thought that once he arrived, Hans's ships would stand down. They'd be outnumbered. But then, why is Arendelle taking the offensive? What would have changed to cause that?"

"Here's a scarier thought. Who's leading Arendelle's troops? Anna?" Elsa asked.

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "It can't be."

"I know. She doesn't have the motivation or military knowledge. But it's the ruling queen who holds the command." Elsa held her head in her hands. "I should never have left Arendelle. They're right. I am a bad ruler. They should just lock me up. I'm too dangerous. I should just be beheaded."

"Don't talk like that," Ariel said. "You'll get your kingdom back. We'll make sure of it."

"How did they even get to this point? Arendelle doesn't have a strong navy."

"They would with Corona's help," Rapunzel said.

"And their fighting my kingdom. Does that mean we're enemies?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel, Ariel, and Elsa all looked between each other. No one spoke. Animosity of prejudice and battle hung over them like a triple-bladed pendulum. Each waited for the other to make a move.

"I am not going to let people who think we need to be enemies say we are," Rapunzel said.

Ariel stood up. "What we need to do is get back to my castle. There, we can figure it out."

Elsa and Rapunzel agreed. Damp and itchy, the three of them walked along the shore until they found a path into town. Even with the help of the tidal wave, they were still a long way from the castle. Sounds of a medieval marketplace began to rise over the surf--voices haggling, creaking carts wheeling, horse hooves clopping.

"I'll find a passing carriage or a royal guard. They'll take us to the palace. They'll have to, right? I'm the princess." Ariel smiled at them.

Elsa stopped. "Hold on. If we're really at war, maybe us marching right up to your castle is a bad idea."

Ariel scoffed. "I can just explain to them-"

"No, she's right," Rapunzel said. "Let's hang back and wait for you to explain. Then come and get us. We can scout around town and investigate this." She held up the bottle.

Elsa scratched at her clothes again. "In the meantime, we need a disguise."

Ariel snapped her fingers. "I got it. There's a laundry pool in the village. Wait right here." She crossed the beach, heading around a curve and out of sight.

Elsa crossed her arms and paced up and down the sand. "And on top of all this is Arcius. Do you think he knows where we are now that we're out of the water?"

"I still don't think he can leave his lair. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent those letters."

Ariel came back, stickers and leaves in her hair. She held out the trident. A bundle of clothes were wrapped around the tines. "I snuck around the bushes so no one would see me."

Elsa and Rapunzel discarded their salt-grainy clothes and put on the peasant garb. Rapunzel's braid was still cohesive enough that she could tie it behind her back. With the white hoods and dirty faces, they were confident the disguises would work.

The three of them climbed up the stairs.

"I'll go back to the castle and find out what's going on with this war. I'll stop it too," Ariel said with doggedness. "I can't believe this would happen. I would never go to war with you."

"I know you wouldn't. Not intentionally."

Ariel said "The glassmaker is in the east side. He should be friendly enough. Tell him the princess sent you."

Elsa nodded. "Good luck."

She and Rapunzel went east and faded into the market crowd.

Ariel smiled, satisfied, then walked west towards one of the village's patrolmen.

* * *

When she got to the palace, the first thing Ariel did was ask for a bath. No need to boil hot water or mix the soap. All she needed was to be clean. The staff welcomed her back, saying they hadn't expected her so soon. Prince Eric had told them she'd gone to visit family, which was many leagues away.

_Yes, but leagues down_ , Ariel thought.

Besides her personal attendants--whose sole job was to drop everything and serve her needs--no one seemed to notice her arrival. The palace seemed unusually quiet. Eric was nowhere. Grimsby hadn't shown up. Even Max, who could smell her from the other end of the palace, hadn't bounded in to say hello.

But she paid little attention to this as she worked to make herself presentable. An hour after her return, she was clean, scrubbed, dressed, and most of all, felt human again. Which meant it was time to find Eric.

"He's in the Lion Hall, poor dear. Been there near every day. Even for meals," Carlotta told her.

"The Lion Hall..." Ariel scratched her head. "You know, I don't think I've ever been up there."

"Why should you, dear? It's the war room."

Ariel followed Carlotta's directions to the top floor, thinking _We have a war room?_

It was at the outermost corner of the keep, in a chamber that was half-solarium. Bookcases and chests lined the walls. Bright sunlight kept the room well lit.

Eric sat next to Sir Grimsby, buried in charts and documents, at a circular table. A handful of other advisors, most in military uniforms, held consultations with each other in clumps.

Ariel pushed open the double doors.

"Eric, there's a war going on. Did you know that?"

The room fell dead silent. One of the generals with a thick white mustache snickered.

Eric looked up. His bright blue eyes shifted from surprise to confusion. "Ariel? When did you get back? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Everything's fine."

He stood up, ready to embrace her. "Did you get... everything taken care of?"

"Yes, but..." she trailed off after getting a look at the giant map on the table. Someone had highlighted their home country, Corona, and Arendelle. Various model ships were pointing north on an intercept course to Elsa's kingdom. "What are you doing? Why are you sending troops to Arendelle?"

"I, uh..." Eric said. A courier interrupted him with a scroll and a pen. Eric scanned it, then signed.

"Eric, do you tell this girl anything about your kingdom?" one of the generals asked.

"She's been away for a while. She just got back," Eric said to him.

A military commander pounded his fist on the table. "Arendelle will be a pile of rubble when we're through." The others at the table murmured affirmatively.

"No, it won't," Ariel said, interrupting their self-congratulations. "We're friends with Arendelle."

She was used to receiving confused looks, but because she'd used the wrong word or behaved oddly. The way the group was looking at her, even Grimsby, raised the hairs on her arm.

She turned to Eric. "Aren't we?"

"We've never had contact with the northern kingdoms," Eric said. "But we do have treaties with Weselton, which we have to honor."

"You have what?!" Ariel shouted. "No, they're the enemy. You've got to stop this. Right now. Call it off."

"We can't just call off a war," Eric said. "Maybe we don't have any issues with Arendelle, but we've got alliances with their enemies. And we've got to support those alliances."

"But they're not our enemies. Just stop fighting. Call back the ships," Ariel said.

The general with the white mustache spoke again. "Eric, will you put this foolish girl to bed? We have business still. The platoon commanders needs to know if we're sending out in the fifth fleet. And the contingency plans for foul weather."

"Do not ever call her foolish," Eric said. "She is your future queen."

Ariel anticipated he would say more--that she was right or had a point or to listen to her. Instead he took her by the hand and led her out to the solarium's balcony.

Crisp, cold ocean air hit her face. Eric shut the door behind him.

"Ariel, I'm not going to call back the ships."

"Why not? This isn't even our war. No one attacked us."

"Even so! It's a matter of support. Weselton's one of our biggest trade consorts. They partnered up with the Southern Isles, and they're fighting against Arendelle and Corona. They asked us for help and we couldn't say no."

"You don't understand. I know the Queen of Arendelle. She's not bad."

"I'm sure she's not," Eric replied. "But if we want to keep our allies as allies, we've got to help them when they need it. Otherwise, who would help us when _we_ need it?"

Ariel had no words. Her mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

"We're not a big country, Ariel," Eric said. His voice grew harsher. "We don't have a large navy. If Weselton turns its sights on those who refused to help them, we couldn't put up much of a fight."

"But that's so mean. Who would do that? Why would we be partners with people like that?"

"Goddammit, Ariel!" He ran his fingers through his hair and paced along the walk. "Don't lay down orders for things you know nothing about. If you're going to be queen, you've got to realize this is not a game. You've got to grow up. Not everyone's our friend."

Eric never shouted at her. Ariel's eyes watered and dilated with fear.

He continued, "I'm sending people I grew up with a hundred miles from their homeland to possibly die. I've been here three days with as many hours sleep. This is what it's like to run a country. This is why I'm not staying up late playing with puppies. There are hard decisions that have to be made. Decisions that might make people starve or get sick. Decisions that have no right answers, that have consequences I can't even predict."

"Just walk away," Ariel whispered. "Just say you're going to stop it."

"I can't," Eric said. "This is my land. This is what it's like to be a ruler. It's alliances and armies. And bannermen and ships and crew and resources. It's not fun and it's got to be done."

The door to the solarium opened. Sir Grimsby poked his leathery head through and coughed. "Uh, sir, it is time." He held out a knapsack bursting with scrolls.

Eric took the pack and walked inside. Ariel followed him. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I need to meet with the military commanders to discuss strategy. We meet somewhere private so secrets don't get leaked. You can... I don't know... stay here. Do whatever it is you usually do."

Ariel bit her lip, watching him go. She strutted forward. "Wait. I'm coming with you."

Eric stopped halfway through the door. His eyebrows raised. "You are?" he asked, surprised.

She marched toward him. "Yes. I'm ready. This is my kingdom too. I need to take care of it."

And she marched right past him.

* * *

"Oh, Juuu-deee..." the red puppet squawked. It whacked the wife puppet in the stomach, then three times on her head. Children circling the show cheered and clapped.

"I don't get it," Elsa said, one hand on her hip. They stood behind the crowd, observing both the show and audience. "They just whack each other. He's not even trying to disguise her voice."

"Must be a local thing," Rapunzel said. "We'll have to ask Ariel about it."

They walked away as the jester started beating the new police puppet. Rapunzel, once again, made sure the bottle in the front pouch of her peasant costume was still there. They merged back into the crowd, dodging women with baskets on their head and men hoisting carts. She was just happy to have some cousin time. And the town square was so elegant, with purple drapes and dark green ivy circling every pillar.

"Now ventriloquism... that's hard."

"What's ven- ventriloquism?"

Rapunzel smiled. "It's like puppetry but you're on stage with the puppet, pretending you're not speaking. Takes a lot of practice and patience... which I had plenty of in the tower. Remind me to show you some time. Pascal and I do this great trick with a glass of water and..."

She sniffed. Something smelled... nostalgic. Savory and crisp. Sharp like coffee and thick like butter.

"Do you smell that?" Rapunzel muttered. Like a puppy, she followed her nose, weaving past booths until she came to a bakery. A woman was setting out pies in a wooden stand.

"I know this taste. I remember it... when I was in the tower. Mother... Mother Gothel brought me these berries. She didn't know what they were, but I baked them in a pie, and it was one of the best things ever. The crust turned out just right. The inside was warm and gooey. And it had this taste I couldn't even describe. Rich and spicy and... like different instruments in a symphony. We both ate it all up. That was one of my proudest days there."

She stepped back and rubbed her forehead. "Wow, for a moment there I was back in the tower. I wonder if this is where the berries came from. Wouldn't that be a funny coincidence. Do you think-"

She looked around. Elsa was not beside her.

"Elsa?" She darted her head. "Elsa?"

The crowds shuttered back and forth, with jingling pouches and stomping boots. Rapunzel retraced her steps, returning to where she last saw her. She wasn't there.

Rapunzel cupped her hands over her mouth. She was about to call out, but stopped herself. Yelling out her name was not a good idea. Not when they were in disguise, hiding in the country they were at war with. How many people named "Elsa" lived in this part of the world?

Which meant Elsa couldn't call out for her. She _knew_ "Rapunzel" wasn't common. Her only recourse was to wander.

She circled the town square for what felt like hours, searching through alleyways and tripping over muddy flagstones. Rapunzel cursed herself for not thinking this would happen. For not setting up a meeting point. She couldn't even find where they had come out of the water.

Then she spotted a large fountain, big enough to catch anyone's eye. The best bet was to stay there and, hopefully, Elsa would get the same idea.

She climbed onto the fountain's rim and scanned the crowd like a lighthouse sweeping for lost ships. Not five minutes and a voice called to her.

"What are you doing up there? Come on."

It wasn't Elsa's voice, but a young female. Confused, Rapunzel stepped down and approached. The girl who called her was wearing clothes like hers.

"Lunch is over. You don't want to be late," she said.

"I don't?" Rapunzel asked.

She took Rapunzel's hand and led her through the crowds, dodging passersby left and right. "Are you new?" the stranger asked.

"Um... yes?" Rapunzel couldn't tell this girl who she was, but how was she supposed to explain what she wasn't? This stranger thought she belonged some place.

"You shouldn't cross Minchin. She's a real fussbudget. You don't know how bad she can get."

They caught up to a group of other women in the same clothing, rushing toward a bamboo fence. The fence closed off a section of the town square between two houses. Next to the entrance gate stood a giant woman, with thick arms and black curly hair.

"I knew you trollops would dawdle. Move it, ladies." She grabbed each woman who passed by the arm, shoving them forward with her thick monkey fingers. Rapunzel stumbled through the bamboo-fence.

Rapunzel could smell soap, drying fabrics, water, and metal. Women circled a large well of shallow water, scrubbing clothes against washboards. Then Rapunzel understood--these were uniforms. And they thought... oh, of all the silliest...

"Wait. I don't-"

Minchin practically belly-bounced them forward. "These clothes don't scrub themselves."

"But, I'm actually-"

The girl beside her shushed her.

Minchin slammed the door shut. "You think because this is a laundry I'm soft? You think I'm taking it easy on you because you're new?" she boomed. "I was at the first battle of Remmerslund. I got a medal for it. That have any meaning to ya? You think someone who survived Remmerslund should be taken lightly?"

"I-"

"Let me look at you, doll face." Minchin pinched Rapunzel's chin. "What are you, twelve? This your first day?"

"Uh-huh," Rapunzel said with scrunched cheeks.

Minchin yanked Rapunzel's hands out. "Look at these hands. Like cream. Daddy's little princess, huh?"

"Actually, I am-"

"Ladies! What are you standing around for? Get the pool and start scrubbing."

The few who'd stuck around to watch Minchin berate Rapunzel scattered off to different stations. Rapunzel was too scared to do anything but follow. But Minchin barred her with her arm.

"Oh, no, not you. You're on stains. See those women over there?"

Minchin pointed to a roofed niche across from the pool. Five women sat on logs around a pile of clothes, mostly soldiers' uniforms. Each of them held an article, digging their fingers into a particular spot. Occasionally they would dip their item into a sudsy bucket of water shared between them.

"We're going to chisel those twiggy fingers of yours into iron bars. Your skin will be ragged by the end of the day. By the end of the week, you won't care. You won't even feel them."

"No, you don't understand. I can't-"

"Do you know how lucky you are to have this job? Working with the royal laundry? How many other women would kill for this? To leave their farmsteads, get away from their deadbeat husbands. Get cracking."

Minchin shoved Rapunzel forward. She found an unoccupied stump. Minchin reached into the pile and grabbed a tablecloth.

"See this? Red wine. Gravy." She tossed it on Rapunzel's lap. "When you're done, I don't want to see a trace. Understand me? There's no such thing as 'good enough'. I want it gone. The castle's not going to pay for new cloths every time the Duke's bratty son flings his potatoes."

Minchin stepped back. Addressing the group. "Let's go, ladies. These are soldiers' uniforms we're washing. And the load's only going to get worse. It's war time. The castle's not going to shell out to give every soldier a bright spanking new uniform. So when some private can see the bloodspot where its previous owner bought it, you're gonna answer to me."

She turned away, leaving Rapunzel with the group of women.

"She's on a roll today, isn't she?" said a middle-aged woman with a lean face and beaked nose.

"I- I- I-"

"Better start working, kid. She don't let us leave until it's finished. And it's mighty hard to see the stains after sundown."

A thousand thoughts clashed through Rapunzel's mind. She was a princess. This wasn't her country. She was in disguise. She wasn't a washer-woman. This country was at war with hers--she was an enemy of the state. No one would believe her. For them to do so, she had to reveal herself. She'd be recognized. Elsa didn't know where she was. If she tried to leave, Minchin might kill her. But she wouldn't kill a princess. But no one knew she was a princess. But she was a princess of the enemy country.

"What's your name?" the beaked woman asked.

"Rapun- Rapun...a."

"Rapunna? I'm Agitha." She introduced the other women around the circle. Rapunzel glanced at their fingers, chalk-white with splotches of bruised skin. "Better get started, dear. Minchin's bark is as bad as her bite. I've seen her shove a girl's head into the laundry pool. Almost drowned her."

Rapunzel swallowed. Unconsciously, her fingers began working at the stained cloth. "Is she always like that?"

"Bet you never expected the chief launderer to be so militant, eh?" Agitha shouldered her good-naturedly. "Remmerslund must've changed her."

"What's... what's Remmerslund?"

"Don't they teach that in history? Little fort in the north. Been attacked three times, but she was there since the first. Thirteen years old, bringing supplies. The fort took a cannonade, wiped out its main force. Naught but five men left, but she took up the flag, stopped them from deserting. Held the fort until reinforcements arrived. Now she's a legend in her own mind."

"And won't let us forget it," a woman named Tinnie said. "Haven't had a day she's not brought it up. Don't ask to see her medal. She'll talk your ear off till sunset. And still expect you to finish your clothes."

"You won't need to ask her. Odds are she'll bring it out at some point. Maybe whack you across the cheek with it."

Rapunzel swallowed again. She returned to her scrubbing, fingers already getting sore.

"Did you hear the princess is back?" Tinnie asked.

"I didn't know she was gone," Agitha said.

"She wasn't gone for as long as I thought she'd be."

Agitha scoffed. "You wouldn't know it for all she's done."

"You're talking about Ariel?" Rapunzel asked.

Agitha nodded. "Prince Eric's new wife. Well, if a year's still considered new."

"Rumor is they're trying to have a baby," Tinnie whispered to Rapunzel. "Maybe she's having trouble and she left to clear her head. But they need an heir. It'll strengthen the regime."

"I like her fine. As a person," a woman named Margot said. "I see her around town sometimes. Looking in windows like a curious child. But she's no leader. Never heard her taking council or hearing petitions." The other women nodded and murmured acknowledgement.

"Funny, the whole kingdom wanted to see him happily settled down. And when he finally did, it ruined the kingdom," Agitha said.

"Why? What happened?" Rapunzel asked.

Tinnie interrupted. "You don't know that it was her."

Margot shrugged. "All I know is Prince Eric married her. Not more than a month later, the fishing ships pull back, shops shut down, and trawling equipment became contraband. I don't know why. But you don't need which way a fart's blowing to know that it stinks."

Rapunzel clapped her hand over her mouth, preventing herself from laughing at something so vulgar. The other laundrywomen looked at her funny.

"But fishing must be, like, your main resource," Rapunzel said.

"Of course. You been living here long?"

"Um... I used to live inland. On a farm. Far away."

"Came to make a new life for yourself," Agitha said. The other girls nodded and returned to their scrubbing, suspicions placated. "I did the exact same thing. Farm for seven generations. One bad season and--boom--it's all gone. Debt's recalled. Minchin's right--you are lucky to get this job."

"Lucky for anyone to be in a job. All my friends have left. Followed their husbands to find work elsewhere. Serving some serf or baron on his land."

"Meanwhile we get the scent of sea air without any of the benefits," Tinnie said.

Rapunzel kept her lips closed. No one had any idea Ariel had been a mermaid, and this was why their town was suffering.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss having fish for lunch." The ladies murmured positively. "A nice fat bowl of fried prawns. Lobster stew. Today it was grouse eggs and bruised pears."

"You were lucky to get eggs," Agitha added.

"Whatever happened to that girl in the clam cart? You know--'oysters, clams, and cockles!'--she'd be shouting in that piping voice. Haven't seen her for months. Hope she's doing all right."

"Well, maybe this war will boost things a bit. If we can't fish ourselves, at least we can trade for them."

Tinnie scoffed. "Stupid. A port town having to trade exports for fish? We'd be the laughingstock of any kingdom."

"How did the war get started?" Rapunzel asked.

The laundrywomen froze all but their working fingers to stare at her. Rapunzel had committed a major mistake. "You had your head in the sea, lass?" Agitha asked.

"I... I don't get much news out on the farm."

"Ain't exactly our war. But two big kingdoms like Corona and Arendelle, you need all the ships you can get," Tinnie said.

"Lord have mercy they don't set their sights on us. Next thing we know there'll be an invasion," Margot said. "It's the sign of the end for sure. We'll be lined up against the wall in a matter of months."

"Hush, Margot," Agitha said. "If these are our last days, let's talk of more pleasant things."

"Hey," Rapunzel said, thinking a mystery was a pleasant thing. "I found this bottle the other day. And... it looks pretty old. Do you know anyone who might know where it's from?"

Rapunzel plucked it out of her dress and handed it to Agitha, bottom-side up. "It's old. That's the kingdom's old emblem. This is the new one." She spread out the lapel of the uniform she was working on. The differences were slight--a wider shield, narrower laurel wreaths, and different words on the crown.

"When did they change it?" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh, a long time ago. Hundreds and hundreds of years." Agitha sniffed inside. "Smells like it had some kind of tipple. Looks like a bottle for spirits too. Where'd you find it?"

"In the ocean. It had a note inside."

"You found an actual note in a bottle?" Tinnie mused. "I think you come from some kind of fairy tale, not a farm."

Rapunzel stood straight, ready to muster up some kind of response.

"Did someone say 'spirits'?" Minchin marched up to the circle of ladies. Her voice carried as if she were in Rapunzel's ear. "Is someone imbibing here?"

The women averted their eyes.

"I want answers. Chop, chop."

Again, no answer. She placed her hands on her hips and glowered at the group.

"Why are you trying to hurt me? Do you want to get me fired? As a widow, I'd starve. There's no place for someone like me."

"It was me." Rapunzel said, guilty for starting the trouble. "I wasn't drinking. I was asking about this bottle I found."

Minchin yanked it out of her hand. She inspected it for a label or trace of its former ingredients.

"You see, I was trying to figure out-"

"What are you here for? To work? Or to tickle your girlish whims? Huh? Huh?" Her hot breath stung Rapunzel's eyes. "Any time spent not scrubbing out those stains is wasted time. You should consider yourself lucky I allow you to make conversation. I can take that away too. Is that what you want?"

"N- no," Rapunzel said.

"Then get back to work. And any distractions to that work..." She chucked the bottle into the air. "Must go!"

A quiet chirp of shock left Rapunzel's lips as the bottle sailed over the bamboo fence, where lay the rocky shore. The sound of a glittering crash followed.

It was the same sound her heart made.


	28. Fly on the Wall

Eric held out his torch, guiding them through the lightless tunnels. Ariel had never been in this part of the castle. Not because it was forbidden, but because it led to the dungeons. Or so she thought. But Eric assured her those were in the other wing. The cobwebs and roots seeping through the brick and mud walls did little to convince her. Not even Sir Grimsby was accompanying. Eric said he needed "plausible deniability" if anyone was captured.

They reached a heavy wooden door with a double lock. Two guards stood on either side, holding partisans. A key dangled from each of their belts. "Halt!" one said.

Eric reached into his shirt and pulled out a small medallion tied around his neck. One of the guards pressed a gem scope into his eye. He examined the medallion while the other held his partisan ready to spear Eric at moment's notice.

"Clean," the examining guard said. The other relaxed his spear. Together they inserted their keys at the same time and unlocked the door. Eric nodded his thanks and entered.

The same rock, overgrown with dirt and mold, made up this cavern. At a lone table, four military men rose at their entrance. They were all Eric's closest advisers--Colonel Jensen, Overseer Dahl, High Constable Holm, Commodore Krogher. In fact, they'd been in attendance of their wedding. And thus, knew her secret.

Eric placed his torch in a nearby sconce. Overseer Dahl approached the locked oak door. "Hey! Let us out! Come on!" he shouted.

Nothing happened. The guards on the other side didn't attempt to open the door. He returned to the table. "We appear to be in blackout."

Eric took his place at the table. Ariel stood behind Eric, unsure of where she belonged. "Gentlemen. Present your articles."

Each of the five dug through their pockets and held out various items. One was a medal, another had a metal rod, another was a charm of crossed bones. Eric held out his royal signet ring.

"And her?" Colonel Jensen asked.

"She can be trusted. Anyone who doubts her identity can consult with me," Eric said.

"Um, hi," Ariel said.

The men took their seats. Ariel remained standing as there was no chair for her.

"Thank you all for coming," Eric said.

"Princess Ariel, why did you come here?" one of them asked.

"I... I thought it was time I started taking more of a role in the kingdom. Making decisions, learning things. After all, I'm going to be ruling it someday."

"Good answer," Dahl said. "Wise."

"Are you recovered from your transformation?" Holm asked.

"Yes, fully."

"Do you know what caused that?" Commodore Krogher asked.

"Um, yes..." Ariel said. "And it's... I'm working on that. But I won't be turning back into a mermaid against my will, that much I know."

Krogher nodded, satisfied.

"The longer we stay here, the longer we risk losing privacy," Eric said. "What are our updates?"

"I'm sending scout ships with new orders for battalions four and five. When they'll arrive, I'm not sure. But estimate a week."

"Assuming they're still on the water," Dahl added.

Krogher nodded gruffly.

Dahl turned to Eric. "Our letter to install an Ambassador to the Southern Isles is ready. The contract has yet to be signed."

"They won't agree to that," Colonel Jensen said. "They want to win this war first, before they start accepting changes in their congress."

"The best time is while they're distracted. They won't give much thought to our representation. And the faster we can enter the bakery, the faster we can start stealing pies."

"They may have won already," Krogher said. "And we don't know it yet. News travels slowly on the sea."

"Go ahead and send it," Eric said. "I don't mind making plans for the future. But right now, our focus is backing the armada. We've been asked for full support and that's what we'll give."

"Speaking of," said High Constable Holm. "Councilors Roderick, Gunsen, and Skold."

Eric and the others nodded. They knew who they were talking about, even if Ariel didn't. But she felt too alienated to interrupt.

"We think we've found a way to... take care of them," Holm said.

Ariel put her hands to her mouth. "What are you going to do?" she whispered.

Holm eyed her. "Send them far away. Investigate mineral deposits, busy themselves with diplomacy."

"Will they protest?" Dahl asked. "They'll know that's no work for a councilor of the kingdom."

"They can protest all they want. They're still going," Holm said. "The last thing we need is separatists with convocation seats. They'll slow everything down. The more loyalists there are, the better. And Roderick, Gunsen, and Skold are the most vocal. Without them, resistance will break down."

"Whatever happened with the Viscount of Glowerhaven?" Eric asked.

"No updates," Colonel Jensen replied. "We're still trying to convince them to join us. I think we're past the point of negotiation and have to try something more artful."

"Could we convince them that Arendelle and Corona are coming for them next?" Dahl asked.

"Maybe. I was more hoping an opportunity would present itself. The Viscount has a daughter-in-law that is... well, often running into trouble. Consorting with commoners, disappearing when she's needed. Rumors abound that she's purchased spells from a circle of witches."

Eric nodded thoughtfully.

"It's only a matter of time before she gets into some trouble she can't get out of. Then we can offer her asylum in exchange for their coffers," Commodore Krogher said.

Overseer Dahl scoffed. "So she can cause trouble here?"

"I don't know," Eric said. "It's not much of an exchange. Do more groundwork. See what it'll take. Commodore Krogher?"

Krogher leaned forward. "We've recruited twenty new ships for privateering. More than I expected. Good thing about a fishing village with no fishing--there are plenty of ships with nothing to do."

Privateering... Ariel searched her mental word bank. She'd heard of it before.

"They're clear on the rules, right?" Eric asked.

"Yes, but they wanted a monetary stipend in addition."

"What?" Eric said. "Those greedy freebooters. You must be kidding."

Krogher shook his head. "Said it's for the dangerous work. Plus there's no guarantee they'd get what they need. Said there's just as much chance of looting a vessel full of flour and cloth as anything valuable."

Looting? That's where Ariel heard the term. It was another word for piracy.

"You're sending out pirates? You're making your own citizens into pirates and sending them against the enemy?" She gasped. "They're not going to kill anyone, are they?"

Overseer Dahl snickered. "It's a _war_ , milady."

Eric held up his hand. Immediate silence. "The deal is they can take any and all cargo they want. Dump the rest over the side, empty the stores. But kill no one."

"Whether or not they'll follow remains to be seen," Krogher said. "My hopes aren't high. There are no laws on the sea."

Ariel looked desperately at Eric.

"It's the best we can do," he told her. "I want an end to this war as fast as possible. I mean, we weren't coerced into this alliance, but we didn't volunteer either."

"Eric, I keep telling you. This war is the boost this country needs," Colonel Jensen said. "We're tumbling into oblivion. This economic blight is-"

"I don't want a throne built on blood," Eric answered.

"You may not have a throne at all, if our enemies surmount us," High Constable Holm said.

"Or our allies. They could take advantage of our weakened state to add another colony to their empire," Jensen added.

"Have you... considered what we've talked about?" Overseer Dahl asked. His eyes made the briefest glance at Ariel.

"The answer is still no," Eric said. He crossed his arms and glowered at Dahl.

"What?" Ariel asked.

"Don't worry about it," Eric said.

"She's here right now. We can ask her herself." Dahl gestured to Ariel.

"Don't you dare," Eric said.

"What? What is he talking about?" Ariel asked.

Eric remained tight-lipped and steely-eyed, staring at Dahl across the table.

Ariel said, "If you want me to take charge and act mature, then you have to treat me like it. Don't tell me 'not to worry' like I'm a child."

Eric sighed. "Overseer Dahl wants to know if you could employ the sea kingdom to strengthen our station."

Ariel frowned at Overseer Dahl.

"It could prevent the loss of lives," Dahl said. "There has to be untold wealth we can't reach, sunken treasure or loose gems. And other merpeople, we could train them to destroy enemy ships. Tear them apart from the bottom."

"The answer is no, Overseer." Ariel crossed her arms.

"There must be vast numbers of scuttled ships from past centuries, just sitting there. Merpeople have no use for human things. You've said it yourself. It could pay for this war."

"My kingdom... I mean, the sea kingdom, is not a place you can exploit," Ariel said.

"But-"

"The issue is dropped, Dahl," Eric said. "You heard straight from her. She said no."

He leaned forward, and clasped his hands together. In that moment, Ariel couldn't look at Eric the same. She always saw him as a young, handsome prince who loved the sea, loved his dog, loved her. But he had a dark side. The side responsible for a country. A country with a questionable ability to survive.

"I want to know about our land defenses. We've talking about the sea this whole time," Eric said.

Colonel Jensen unrolled the map. "I believe we're covered. No one thinks an invading land force will take us. Neither Corona or Arendelle have one to boast of. The biggest difficulty is transport." He pointed to several expanses of plains. "Our contingent battalions are here, here, and here. But you can see the path for resupply isn't exactly straight. We have to go around the Wittemore Bluff or Dugway Rim."

The four of them studied the map.

"If we could occupy one of the nearby villages, we could set up a station depot," Jensen said.

"I don't like that idea," Eric said.

"Why don't you take this path?" Ariel asked. She traced her finger through a green mass. "Where it diverges in the forest?"

"What path?" Eric asked.

"This. Right here." She stabbed at the amorphous moss-colored circle with her index finger. "Just go through. You can avoid the cliffs. It seems simpler."

"What are you talking about?" Krogher asked.

"Right here! Don't you see it?"

Jensen, Dahl, Holm, Krogher, and Eric peered at the map below her finger, as if searching for an ant. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, dear," Eric said.

"Are you serious? This spot right here where I'm pointing." Under her finger, one path branched from the main road. It cut through the forest until it met with the route around the perimeter. "Can't you see it?"

Eric chewed his upper lip. "Well... I see... hmm... anyway, what were we talking about?"

Ariel's jaw dropped.

Dahl opened his pocket watch. "We're running out of time. You need to meet with the navy commanders."

"Right." Eric reached into the cloak slung over his chair and produced four leather-clasped envelopes with wax seals. "New codes and instructions." The four generals secured them in pockets or handbags. Eric stood up. "This meeting is adjourned."

Jensen approached the door. He knocked with an arrhythmic pattern for ten or twenty seconds. The others gathered behind him, waiting, until he finished and the door opened. All except Ariel, who remained looking at the map.

"Am I missing something?" she muttered to herself.

"Ariel? We need to get down to the city."

"Coming." Ariel rolled up the map and headed after him.

* * *

The best thing Elsa could say was that she hadn't lost control of her powers yet. But she felt close.

Not only did she have to ask all these strangers if they'd seen a girl with a round face and big green eyes, but she had so little information to give. Seventy feet of blond hair--that could have been it. But no, one slip would reveal their identity. So she was stuck describing characteristics which applied to everyone here.

A tavern was an unlikely place for Rapunzel to go--indoors, full of ruffians willing to take advantage of strangers--but she had run out of possibilities. Tired and lonely, she wished she had some silver to buy some food. Instead she asked the passing waitress. "Excuse me. I'm looking for a woman about my height, but with blond hair and light freckles. She's dressed like me."

"Dressed like you?" The waitress scrunched her nose. "Lady, the only people dressed like you are at the laundry pool."

"Yeah, where the washerwomen are. What'd you do? Steal their clothes?"

"Washerwomen..."

"Yeah, Minchin's working them to the bone right now. Best you don't let her catch sight of you, she might think you're one of them. I assume you're not, otherwise she'd be tearing the town apart looking for you. Best you stop taking fashion tips from them."

Elsa's eyes glazed over with thought. Ariel had fetched them washerwomen's uniforms. If that was the case, then maybe Rapunzel got...

She stood up and grabbed the waitress's arm. "Quick, where's the laundry pool?"

Confused, the waitress replied, "In the south quarter, behind a bamboo fence. You can't miss it."

Elsa ran out of the tavern, not hearing the waitress's final words, "Just listen for the shouting."

* * *

Rapunzel had only felt like this once before--when she saw Flynn escaping with the satchel. Now it was because she had lost their only lead to a sinister conspiracy of ancient magic and power. They had nothing. And it was because of her.

She had gone on this grand adventure thinking she could handle herself. It was such a little thing to take care of too. But without it, the world was doomed. She might as well stay here darning socks until she grew tired and old. She deserved it.

"Get those through the wringer!" Minchin yelled. "You know what one drop of moisture means? It means mildew. Mold! Plague! Do you want to be responsible for the death of the royal family? Because you couldn't push your elbows a little harder? At Rummersland I had to haul forty pound bags of grape shot. On each shoulder." She reached into her hip bag and produced a bronze medal. Shoving it into a girl's face, she said. "If I can do it, you can do it."

One woman with a dull expression dumped an oversized basket on the pile, then gathered the finished garments behind them.

Minchin approached a girl at a table, attending a large mortar and pestle. "Susanne, why isn't the lye and soapwort mixed up yet? It's essential for cleansing stains."

"I'm sorry, Miss Minchin. I'm trying. To be honest, the fumes are making me dizzy."

"Making you distracted, you mean."

"No, it's-"

"Don't make excuses. Do you want everyone to run behind because you were too slow?" She stood behind the girl and put her hands on her shoulders. "I'm saying this because I don't want you to end up on the streets. I'm trying to protect you all. You're my girls."

She patted the lye-mixer and walked off.

Rapunzel believed it. The world was a dangerous place. Maybe it was better to stay here and work hard than return in shame to Corona. At least she had a job here.

Minchin approached a girl at a folding table, fiddling with a never-ending pile of clothes. "Lykke, I don't know how you untie and retie these knots all day every day."

"It's nothing, Miss Minchin."

"Then why does it take you so long?" Minchin shouted.

Rapunzel stopped. Glassy eyes returned to sparkling. She recognized that phrase. She recognized this whole thing. She lived it for eighteen years. Brow-beaten into submission with passive-aggressive insults. Demeaning under the guise of nurturing. This is what she would have been if she'd never left the tower. Imprisoned, toiling, enslaved.

Rapunzel stood up. She dropped the clothing she was working on. "That's enough," she shouted.

The laundry pool froze.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Agitha whispered.

In the dead silence, Rapunzel turned to Minchin. "You are mean, manipulative, and selfish. You only care about yourself while we do all the work. Well, it's not going to work that way. Not ever again."

Minchin approached her, silent as the rest of the crowd. She towered over Rapunzel, but the princess kept going.

"You can't treat people like this. Not to me. Not to anyone. I am going to the castle and telling everyone how they're getting their laundry done. By an abusive tyrant."

Minchin shoved Rapunzel with her tree trunk arms, thrusting her into the ground. Rapunzel's already red and raw hands stung the stones.

Minchin glowered. "You dare talk back to me like that? You don't know what it's like out there. The countryside is starving. Buildings are falling apart. The port is a trash pile of empty ships. So you count your blessings you've got a job and a bed. All of you."

Rapunzel realized Minchin had a point. Women didn't have a lot of opportunities to work, especially in the city. She shouldn't have talked back.

"All of you owe me. I'm the one who keeps you safe. They wanted to dock your pay, but I said no. I said no one could produce the kind of quality I can. I may take a little more than my share, but that's because no one else can. I'm not selfish and cruel. The world is."

Rapunzel's eyes filled with tears. Why did she think this was a good idea?

Minchin fished the bronze medal from her pocket. She held it in front of Rapunzel's eyes so she could get a good look. "You go ahead and tell the castle what's happening here. I'll remind them that I'm the hero of Rummersland. What do you think they'll say?"

"You're a liar," Rapunzel whispered, addressing no one particular.

"What?" Minchin raised the medal over her head, as if to strike her with it.

Rapunzel's eyes flashed from tears to scowl. She spun back up. Minchin moved to push her back down.

Rapunzel pulled back her headscarf. She yanked out her braid of blond hair and whipped it at Minchin's leg. Once it wrapped taut, Rapunzel pulled.

Minchin seemed to hover in the air for a second, then landed hard on the cobble stones. Rapunzel pulled the medal toward her, close enough to read.

"'Presented for honor and bravery in the _first_ battle of Rummerslund Fort'. How did they know it was the first? How did they know there were going to be more?" She rattled the medal. "It's a fake. How many other things you've said are fake too?"

Minchin said nothing.

Rapunzel pulled the frock off her neck and threw on the ground. "I might have lost everything, but I'm still here. I'm still alive. So I can still get it back." She looked up at the gathering crowd. "So can you. And it starts out that door."

Rapunzel marched toward the bamboo gate. She undid the latch and pulled it open. But before she left, she took a look back to see if anyone was following.

They weren't. They were gathering around Minchin. At first, Rapunzel was afraid they were going to help her up. But they weren't. They were approaching slowly, malevolently. And Minchin was begging for forgiveness. Rapunzel shut the door behind her, confident she would receive none.

* * *

It took Elsa another half day to cross town and find the laundry pool. Just when she lost the trail, the smell of soap wafted by.

Then she spotted it--a tall bamboo fence blocking off the alley behind two storefronts. Elsa rushed against the gate. The door rattled and remained locked from the other side. Her powers could break down the door or make a tower of ice to stand on, but there were too many people around.

Elsa ran around the storefronts, searching for a way in. Her temper rose as she pushed past pedestrian after pedestrian. Idiots. They all had nothing better to do but stand around.

She was about to step into the street when a shopkeeper's hand stopped her.

"Whoa, lady, careful."

Elsa glowered at him. She contemplated jabbing him with an icicle.

Then he said, "You don't want to run into the street when there's cartage going by. Specially this one."

"What's special about-"

She stopped. Her eye caught someone across the street. Bright blond hair, big green eyes. She was looking down the street for the approaching carts.

Elsa raised her hand. "Hey! Hey!" Elsa pushed her way to the curb.

Rapunzel, along with the people around her, met her gaze. Her eyes lit up like fire.

"Els-" She hiked up her long dress and stepped into the street.

Elsa did the same as the shopkeeper again tried to reach for her. They met in the middle of the street and hugged.

"So glad I found you," Elsa said. "I thought I was going to be lost forever."

"Me too," Rapunzel said. "Do-"

A child screamed. Then a woman. A horse chortled close enough they could feel its hot musty breath in their ears. The animal raised on its haunches, becoming a terrifying monster with unwieldy claws. Rapunzel and Elsa fell back, landing hard on the street.

The horse's wrangler yanked the reins. Its hooves landed a foot from Elsa's toes.

"Watch out!" he said. "Have you lost your minds? Running in front of the royal carriage like that?"

"We're sorry, we're sorry," Rapunzel said. "Wait... royal carriage?"


	29. Getaway

Ariel sat alone in the covered carriage, scrutinizing every inch of the thick, grimy canvas map through scrunched brows. The legend, the author's marks, the scale--there was no reason that the forest area would hide from everyone. The coachman, the guards, the peasantry passing by--no one she talked to could point out the forest.

It didn't even matter how she asked--"Can you point out the forest?", "What's the fastest way to get to the East plains?", "Point out all the paths you see."they always left out that splotch.

She had asked a well-traveled caravan "Okay, you've gone down this road before, right? You've passed this section of road, right? So what is here? What do you see?" The tinkers looked to each other, scratched their heads, and said they didn't remember. Then they showed her their most recent map. The path was not there. As if the forest had swallowed it.

What was with this map that she could see something that no one else could? Was there anything special about it? The area was a few miles south of the promontory where they had stashed _Barefoot Maiden_. Did that have something to do with it?

The door opened. Eric climbed in. "I hope that went better than it seemed."

Ariel scootched over to make room for him. The coachman closed the door.

The navy commanders had been amenable to everything Eric had said. But their tone was gruff and distasteful. Eric thought they might have resented him because of the war. Ariel thought it was the ban on fishing. As they finished up, Ariel had excused herself so she could study the map more.

"How old is this map, do you think?"

"Pretty old. Before I was born. It's the best one we've got though, for the total area it shows."

She leaned over. "And you're sure you don't see anything here?" She circled the spot. "Right there. Right where I'm pointing."

"I can see where you're pointing," Eric said.

"But you don't see anything."

"Nope," Eric said.

"Then what _do_ you see?"

"There's, um... um, it's just... I don't know." His gaze wandered out the window while the carriage started off.

Ariel huffed. That was as close as she could ever get to an answer--the person either drifted off or changed the subject. She rolled up the map. "What did the commanders think of your plan?"

"They didn't like it, but they'll do it. It's mostly patrolling, so it's fairly safe. And they needed more money, of course."

"Do we have enough?" Ariel asked.

"For now. Like Jensen said, the war is boosting our economy. But it can't go on forever. They didn't like the idea of converting fishing boats into war ships, but they agreed to it. They aren't much bigger than gunboats or schooners, but the more, the better. It's not like they're using them."

Ariel looked away. "I'm sorry I put you in this position."

"It's not your fault," Eric said. "War is war."

"No, I mean, the fishing thing. I might have been... a little bit selfish about that." She took a breath. "I wasn't thinking about how it would affect everything."

"That's not your fault either. You didn't make me do it."

"But I didn't tell you not to. That's the same thing. I shouldn't be forcing my views on the people. I may not like what they're doing, but I can't force them to change it."

"If it was the other way around, I would have thought the same thing," Eric said.

"That doesn't mean it was right. I feel so ripped up inside. I saw what the sea kingdom is like now. They still think of me as their ruler. I felt like I should be back there. When I think of where my home is, I'm not sure anymore."

"Do you want to go back to being a mermaid?" Eric asked.

"No," Ariel almost shouted. "I love being human. I just... I feel like I'm letting my people down. Both my people. And since I got back I've been trying to do better, but I feel like an idiot. I've been hovering over your shoulder, interfering with your schedule, prying into your secret meetings."

"And I love it," Eric said.

"You do?"

Eric nodded. "I thought you've been handling yourself well. At first, I was afraid you'd be asking a bunch of dumb questions, but-"

"You think I ask dumb questions?" Ariel said in a weak voice.

"N-no. Well, it's understandable. But no one else knows your situation, so it comes off as..."

Ariel looked away, out the window.

"Don't get me wrong, I like it. It's part of why I fell in love with you," Eric said.

"Because it's funny to you?" Ariel asked. "To see me screw up?"

"No. Because you're curious. And confident and determined. You never let anything stop you. Remember that time you didn't know the word for grass, so you called it 'dirt fur'?" Eric smiled.

Ariel groaned at the memory. She had been talking to three diplomats from other countries at a gala.

"But you weren't embarrassed at the time. It's that sort of thing that makes you think differently. And that makes all of us think differently," Eric said.

Ariel returned his smile. Looking into his bright smoke-colored eyes, she felt an urge to kiss him.

She leaned toward him. He leaned toward her.

The carriage jolted to a sudden stop. Ariel tumbled onto the floor. Eric steadied himself, then picked her up. "What happened?" he said.

"Sorry, your highness," the coachman said from his seat above them. "Some idiots ran in front of us. Don't worry, everyone's fine." He shouted outwards. "Have you lost your minds? Running in front of the royal carriage like that?"

"You okay?" Eric asked, brushing off her dress.

The coachman's feet thudded as he leapt from his perch. The same faint voice yelled "Hey! You can't go in there!"

Suddenly, someone banged on the outside of the coach. "Ariel! Ariel!"

Eric jolted back, startled out of his wits.

Two young women wearing peasants' clothes popped into the window. One had shockingly long blond hair, the other wore a traditional headscarf. They began shouting at once.

"Ariel! Ariel! -the bottle--got lost--hundreds of years--broke--sorry--different emblem--couldn't find--smelled like beer, but--took the whole day-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." Ariel opened the carriage door and stepped out. Eric half-heartedly reached for her, afraid for her safety with these two maniacs.

One of the guards wrenched the hooded woman away.

"Unhand me at once," she commanded. Her voice was so fierce, the guard complied.

"Why do you washerwomen think it's appropriate to run in front of a carriage to get our attention?" Eric asked in a gruff, authoritative voice.

"Because they're not washerwomen." Ariel held one of the woman's hands. "This is Elsa, queen of Arendelle."

Elsa pulled back her head scarf, revealing white hair hanging in her people's traditional braid. The gathered crowd gasped loudly. Prince Eric's jaw dropped.

"What...? The queen... is here?" Eric stuttered.

"And the princess of Corona--Rapunzel." Ariel pushed Rapunzel forward until the three of them stood in a line.

"Her cousin?" Eric whispered. "Both of them here?"

"Yes," Ariel said.

Eric's mouth moved up and down, trying to find words. Until he finally did.

"Guards! Seize them!"

Ariel was shoved out of the way. In a split-second, the guards had Elsa's and Rapunzel's arms wrenched behind their backs. "What? I... I didn't-" Ariel said.

The lead guard handed off a whorl of twine. "Wrap that one's hands tight. She's supposed to have some kind of powers."

The one arresting Elsa coiled the rope from wrist to fingers. She winced as he tied off the knot.

"No, Eric, stop this," Ariel pleaded.

"They're enemies of the state," Eric said. "There's nothing I can do. We're _literally_ at war with both their countries."

"But they didn't even know there was a war. They didn't start it. They never would--they're my friends. I thought that-"

"They're _your_ friends?" the lead guard interrupted.

Ariel nodded. "I brought them here."

The lead guard paused.

"Princess Ariel, you're under arrest for treason." He seized Ariel's wrists and yanked her around. "For conspiring with the enemy and other charges to be determined."

"Hey," Eric said. Before the guard could start tying ropes, Eric pulled her away, closer to him. "Now hold on. This is your princess you're arresting."

"She admitted it herself," the guard said. "Maybe this is all a misunderstanding, but she's got to be detained at least. Please don't interfere."

"Eric, please." Ariel looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Your highness, you have a duty to your country. It could mean an end to the war." The guard's hand crept toward the hilt on his belt. His men inched closer to him.

Eric looked into Ariel's tearing eyes. He stiffened his bottom lip. "I'm sorry," he said.

Quicker than anyone could see, Eric knocked down the lead guard. The men packed behind him fell like dominos into a tangle of arms and legs. Eric grabbed Elsa and Rapunzel by their shoulders and threw them into the carriage.

"Get on!" Eric commanded.

Ariel snapped back to life and started up to the coachman's seat. Eric gave her a boost the rest of the way and followed. He grabbed the reins and shouted to the guards, "I may be a prince, but my first duty is to my wife. Hiya!"

The horses reared and whinnied. Townspeople scrambled over each other to clear the way.

"Hold on!" Eric shouted. The carriage leaned to the left as they took a sharp turn around a set of houses. Ariel clutched onto Eric, praying the cart wouldn't overturn.

Once they were straight, Ariel leaned toward the coach's front window. "Are you guys all right?"

"We're cutting our ropes," Rapunzel shouted, barely audible above the horses' hooves.

"Use the trident," she shouted back. "It's under the seat. Work back-to-back."

Two carriages appeared around the corner, both led by guardsmen.

"They're coming after us!" Eric shouted. "I don't think we can outrun them. The royal carriage wasn't meant for speed."

"And my trident's inside the coach," Ariel said. Maybe if Elsa and Rapunzel were free, they could hand it up to her. But they had bigger problems.

"Watch out!" Eric shouted. A man with a cart full of produce was crossing the street. He jumped and shuffled in place in a panic. Eric pulled the reins sharp to the left. The horses swerved as the man jumped out of their way. But cart spun into the air and overturned it.

Ariel looked back. "Sorry!"

The man shouted back "my cabbages!", but Ariel was too far to hear. The two pursuing coaches ran through the debris unslowed.

A bowstring twanged. An arrow lit with fire arced and stabbed the back of the canopy.

"They're firing on their prince? I'll wring their necks." Eric said. If their carriage started on fire, they'd be forced to abandon it--which must have been their idea. "Here, take over."

"Ooh," Ariel said, taking them.

Eric suddenly remembered the first time he handed Ariel the reins. "No, wait-"

Ariel whipped the harness. The horses jolted forward with a burst of speed.

Eric rolled back onto the canopy's roof, tumbling once before clutching the frame. At least they were going faster.

He released his death grip and crawled along the canopy's roof, keeping a low center of gravity. The canvas bounced like a trampoline. Even the roughest seas weren't as bumpy. Next year, he would have to spend some taxes on road repairs. If he was still prince by then. And survived this.

Arms and legs spread across the roof for stability, he stretched his fingers for the burning arrow. He plucked it out and tossed it off the side.

The coach launched upward as it ran over an enormous bump.

Eric hovered two feet in the air, then landed on back on the carriage. The inertia rolled him onto his side and he tumbled off the back.

"Eric!" Ariel shouted.

With one hand Eric grabbed the top of the wagon frame. "I'm okay," he shouted. Although he'd avoided a trampling, hanging off the back of the coach made him an easy target.

The closest coach drew nearer. Eric could barely see them, but could hear their booming horse hooves.

Two guards sat to the left and right of the driver. One was the archer, readying another arrow. The other spun a lasso in the air.

Below, Rapunzel and Elsa poked their heads out of each window. "Surprise!"

Each of them held an arm's worth of snowballs. They chucked them one after the other at the pursuing coach, sending billets of cold snow like shrapnel.

The man with the lasso took one square in the face. Rapunzel's quick hands pelted the driver. He held his arm in front of his eyes, accidentally yanking the reins. The carriage weaved in the road, thanks to the confused horses, and fell back.

The second coach appeared, swerving around its fallen comrade and gaining ground.

Eric hoisted himself back onto the tarp. He steadied himself, bouncing with the bumps. "Head to the East. Get us out of the city. And try and keep it steady."

"I'm trying!" she said. "These streets are so snaky."

Eric was going to have to have a talk with the city planner about that.

The guards' carriage pulled up even to theirs them. With a quick flash of the driver's wrists, it rammed into theirs. Eric held on for dear life. Below, Elsa and Rapunzel shrieked.

Eric brought himself up to a kneel, then got to his feet. His legs pressed against the roof frame.

The canvas below him ripped. The trident came shooting out, thrust between his legs. Eric winced, though he was unhurt.

The trident pulled back. Elsa and Rapunzel looked up. "Sorry. We thought you were a guard who jumped on."

Eric swallowed the breath in his throat. "S'okay," he whimpered.

The pursuing coach pulled back and rammed them again. After impact, the carriage started creaking. One more blow and the whole thing would shatter. It was a royal conveyance, not a war machine

"I got a plan," Ariel said. She wrapped the reins around her wrists and edged the horses to close the gap. They steadily squeezed the guards' carriage closer to the side. But when the pursuing coach would budge no more, neither did Ariel's horses. The guards readied to jump on.

"Go faster! Go faster!" Eric shouted.

He caught an archway ahead. An archway that narrowed the width of the road by half.

"Go slower! Go slower!"

Suddenly, Ariel yanked her reins to the side. Eric hunkered down. The driver of the other coach shouted and yanked back. The horses' back legs slid in front of their forelegs. The sudden stop sent them skidding into a pile-up. Three guardsmen lay heaped on top of horses, the carriage, and ground. Their split axle spun out and wedged itself into their wheel.

There was a terrific crack. The carriage rattled and bounced. Eric fluttered airborne. For a split-second, the carriage drifted out from under him. But he landed back on the bouncing canvas. With one wheel out, the last pursuing coach gained easy ground on them.

Ariel turned back. "What are we going to do? We can't go any faster."

"I got this," Elsa said. She leaned out the window, raised her hands, and swept them left to right.

A wide bar of slushy snow stretched from one walk to the other, making a barricade. The horses barreled through it. But their carriage sailed into the air, as far as the yokes would let it. It soared for what seemed like eternity, then crashed with tremendous force. All four wheels were crushed into splinters.

The two guards on the coachman's perch fell to the side, rolling into the streets. The horses slowed to a stop, thanks to the box dragging behind them.

Eric pumped his fist in the air. As the carriage faded into the streets, so did the rest of the city. The town entrance passed over their heads and soon shrank into the distance. Eric climbed back to his seat.

Ariel offered him the reins. He held up his hand. No need to take them, she was doing fine.

She led them down the road and into the forest. Meanwhile, she told Eric everything that had happened since the first spell was cast. Her story spanned until the trees' shadows enshrouded them and they felt hidden from the prairie.

By that time, the color had finally returned to Eric's face. He told them this would be a good place to stop. The road was too rough for horses at this point. Ariel pulled back on the reins and the incessant clip-clopping stopped. Both of them took a deep breath. As Eric helped Ariel down, Elsa and Rapunzel stepped out of the coach.

"Is it safe?" Rapunzel asked.

Eric nodded. "I'm sorry. If I'd had a clearer idea of what was going on, I never would have joined this war. As soon as I get back, I'll start withdrawing troops."

"Aren't you going to be in trouble?" Rapunzel asked.

"They could hang you for treason," Elsa said.

"I'll deal with that when I get there," Eric said.

Ariel unlatched one of the bridles from the cradle-yoke. "Take a horse," she said, leading it by the bit. "You can say that you knocked me out and escaped."

"But I'm going with you," Eric said.

Ariel shook her head. "You have to take care of the kingdom. You have end this war. Maybe they'll think that I kidnapped you. I had the reins for most of the chase."

"I'll think of something," Eric said. He turned to his wife. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "This is such a big mess. I promise to fix it when I come back. If... you want me back." Then she said what she had been dreading the entire trip. "If you don't, I'll understand. This would be the perfect chance. You could say since I was with the enemy-"

"Ariel, I would never lie like that."

"Well, maybe you should," she pouted. "All I've done since I became human is make things worse for your people. I just can't fit in. They hate me. And they're right--I've done nothing for them. And you should hate me too. I ruined your kingdom."

Eric took a deep sigh. Ariel couldn't tell if he was about to agree or not.

"Ariel, I have to tell you something. When we were first married, I thought maybe I'd made a mistake."

Ariel looked up at him with big eyes.

"You were sixteen. The only thing I knew about you was your voice. You didn't know what anything was. Everything distracted you. You didn't know how a door worked, or how to use the privy. It was frustrating. Some people accused you of hysteria. I wasn't sure we were going to make it."

Ariel's lower lip trembled. Her eyes watered.

"But through it all, you never stopped trying. You never stopped asking questions or worried about failing. And you were happy doing it. You never gave up on yourself, so I resolved never to give up on you."

He threaded his hand through the thick hair behind her head and pulled her in close. Their lips crushed together, warm and soft. Her mind exploded with the memory of their first kiss. The first time they could be together, free of lies and obstacles. She wasn't in the sea or the land. She was in the air.

Rapunzel giggled. Elsa looked away and felt a blush.

Eric hoisted himself up onto one of the horse's backs. Ariel handed him the reins to the other. "I'll take the horses somewhere for rest and water before heading back. That'll give the royal guards time to cool off. The farmers here on the outskirts wouldn't have heard about the scuffle, so they'll take me in. They won't..." he trailed off.

"They won't label you as a traitor." She sighed. "I just hope they'll think the same thing about me when I come back."

"Be careful," Eric said.

Ariel smiled. "You know I won't."

"That's fine. I won't either."

With a final touch of the hand, Eric loosed his reins and rode off. Ariel didn't move until she could no longer see the rustle of leaves he left behind.

"So what do we do now?" Rapunzel asked. "We found out nothing about the bottle. We have no leads. What are we going to do?"

Ariel reached into the abandoned cab. The map was still there. "I want to go see this forest path. It might be nothing, but no one seems to know about it. Not even when it's on a map."

"What path?" Elsa asked.

"The one right- oh, not you too!" She stabbed the center of the scroll. "Right HERE! HERE! It's just south of where our ship is. I can't believe you don't see it."

"I... believe _you_ see it," Rapunzel said.

Ariel rolled her whole head.

"I believe you too," Elsa said. "This seems too strange. Ariel's the only one who can see something the rest of us can't? Sounds like magic."

"Maybe the same Arcius is using?" Rapunzel asked.

Ariel rolled up the map. "Then let's get going."

They traveled through the forest for the rest of the day. Ariel had to be the navigator, because she was the only one who could see where they were going. Once they left the beaten road, undergrowth crackled beneath their boots. Dark tree limbs bathed them in shadow. Earthy fungus and tree sap tickled their noses.

Ariel kept her finger on the map as they walked into the unknown. If some spell stopped people from seeing it, maybe there was one that would make them forget they'd been here. And then they might be searching for eternity.

After a few hundred more yards of trees, they found a small grove.

"A cemetery," Ariel said. It was tiny--maybe ten or fifteen headstones--sunken into the overgrown grasses.

"These are old," Elsa said. "Maybe centuries."

Rapunzel bent down in front of one, the soft grass cushioning her knees. "I can just make out the writing. Some of them have the same last names."

"Maybe they were a family who lived here," Ariel said. But if that was the case--a family living in the forest--where did they live? There was no farmhouse, no roads.

"Oh no," Elsa said.

"What?" Rapunzel and Ariel ran to her side.

She pointed at the gravestone in front of her. In small, faded letters read the words LOWTHER VONDE BRACKRIDGE.


	30. A Nice Place to Visit

"It says he died about two hundred years ago," Rapunzel whispered.

"The one guy. The ONE guy who could have helped us." Elsa began pacing. "We've been searching all over for him and he's been dead for two centuries already. He was our last chance and we finally found where he is."

With a grunt, she kicked the gravestone. "I am tired of this stupid goose chase. I'm so far away from my family, my home." She kicked again and again. "My country's at war. And I can't do anything about it!"

The last kick cracked the stone. It toppled like a playing card. Elsa shirked back. "Oops."

"What's this?" Rapunzel asked. "This writing down below."

The bottom of the stone contained faded glyphs, obscured by the thick wildgrass until now. "These... these look like the same glyphs on Arcius's island. Remember? At the altar-thing?" She rubbed sand away from the letters. "Maybe it's a clue. If I-"

Something hummed, like insect's wings. Their teeth rattled.

A blue light appeared on the pathway alongside the graveyard. It grew high and thin, reaching through the trees. The area around it rescinded, like a sinkhole in the middle of the air.

"Looks like a... a..." Rapunzel said.

"A portal!" Ariel finished.

The barrier opened only a dozen feet wide, but what they saw defied explanation. Beyond the veil lay a magnificent castle, with copper minarets and marble walls so white they glowed. A small staircase led to the grand double doors.

The skies of both their world and this one matched. The trees around the castle mirrored those in the forest nearby. Whatever magic kept this place off the map also rendered this palace invisible. It did not exist in some other world, but here and now.

"Should we go in?" Rapunzel asked.

"I think so," Elsa said. "Something tells me Lowther isn't as dead as we thought."

They passed through. Ariel looked behind them. The magic barrier was gone--it only worked one way. Whoever lived here must have been in isolation all its existence.

Their first steps took them on the short road to the palace gates. Past the archway, they saw the first signs of life--gnome-like men, not more than four feet tall, with large noses and stringy hair. They wore threadbare robes and dull, saggy expressions. Each was either carrying something or getting something to carry. Their steps were slow, with no hurry and no spirit.

"Who are they?" Elsa whispered.

"No idea," Ariel said. Not even the local folklore could help with this one.

"Excuse me..." Rapunzel bent down to one hauling a box on its back. "We're looking for... um, hello? Could you help us?"

The gnome passed by, never saying a word. Rapunzel stepped in front of it. It trudged around her, never looking up.

"They're like... slaves," Ariel said.

"I wonder if Lowther created them," Elsa said.

The three of them kept walking, avoiding the creepy gnomelings by staying on a straight line to the palace.

"No guards," Ariel said.

"You don't need guards if no one can find where you live," Elsa said. She knocked. No answer.

Elsa pressed her ear to the door. "I guess we go in." She pulled back on the door. The three of them slipped inside.

The door opened onto a hallway dedicated to decadence and hedonism. Beautiful diamonds and jewels lay in glass cases for display. Gold coated the floor and ceiling while red velvet covered the walls.

"Wow," Rapunzel said. "He certainly is living well."

Giant intricate murals painted hallway walls. Many of them depicted scenes of grotesque violence and nudity, enough to make them blush. Further down, the main entrance hall was a mess of gold coins, gems, and coffers. Piles of riches lay on each side of the staircase. A porcelain rivulet of sparkling water ran from west to east in a small in-floor aqueduct.

"This is insane," Ariel whispered. "And where is everyone? Does he live alone?"

"Is he alive at all?" Rapunzel added.

"Ravir and Arcius were long-lived," Elsa said. "And I think those workers would stop working if they didn't have anyone to work for.

The three girls split up, searching the giant hall for the castle's resident. Thick buttery smells like chocolate and roasted meats permeated the carpet. Ariel knelt closer to the indoor stream. Thirsty, she took a handful of the sweetest, most delicious water she'd ever tasted.

Rapunzel scrutinized a curvaceous statue, deciding whether it was artistic or vulgar. Then she noticed some others and realized it was a matter of comparison.

"Wait, I think I heard something," Elsa said. She was near the west hallway corridor.

The two others ran beside her. They heard it too--a woman's voice. Maybe many women. They continued on, listening for the next chuckle or cough, until reaching a door at the end of the hall.

It was a big room and poorly lit. Inside were women, all kinds of women wearing bustiers, tassels, lace, and other skimpy outfits. Some lounged in giant soft cushions, smoking hookahs from an end table. Others sipped green liquid out of wine bottles. But most lay sleeping, draped on the floor or arms splayed, left in whatever narcotic ecstasy they were in. Most had distasteful expressions on their faces and slept comatose.

"What kind of place is... Oh..." Elsa said.

"What?" Ariel asked.

"The seclusion, the decoration. This is a pleasure-palace," Elsa said.

"That's what all this is?" Ariel asked.

"I guess if you had ultimate power and not many morals, this is what you'd do: live a life of luxury," Elsa said.

"He couldn't use his power to help other people?" Rapunzel asked.

"I don't think he's the sort of guy where that would cross his mind. He's used all his magic for self-indulgence. He uses women for carnal pleasure and slave creatures for servitude. And there's no one who could tell him otherwise."

The women must have seen them, but were too intoxicated to care that three people never seen before had walked in. Maybe the first in hundreds of years. Assuming these were actual people, not simulacrums. The power of Temeris must have had limits, didn't it?

"Excuse me," Elsa said. "We're looking for, uh, ah..."

The woman, who had tan skin and a two-piece lingerie set, wobbled as she glanced sideways. She gave a little smirk then walked away.

"Does anyone know where we can find Lowther?" Rapunzel asked.

"Or the king of this castle? Or whoever's in charge?" Ariel asked.

The women stirred, hovering in stupor. Ariel shuddered to think what they did when they weren't in this room.

The door opened. A single gnomeling stood outside.

"Master requests three," it said. "Three who haven't been seen in a while."

"Us," Rapunzel said, raising her hand. "That's us. It's been a long time since we've seen... the master."

The gnomeling looked them up and down. Rapunzel realized it was staring at their clothes. She and Elsa were still in the drab laundrywoman garb and Ariel's dress was ripped and muddy.

"We need to change though," Rapunzel added. "Give us a minute. We were..."

"We were cleaning," Ariel said. "That's it."

The gnomeling shrugged.

Rapunzel pulled Elsa and Ariel by their shoulders to the back of the room. They ducked behind a long dressing screen hidden in a dark corner. Discarded clothes lay in giant pile. The three of them tossed items to each other.

"Does this fit me? No. This one? No. This one?"

"Hurry up, hurry up."

"Where are the pants that go with this?"

"No. No. Ugh, no. What is this? Is this something you're supposed to wear?"

"Ergh, too tight."

"The snaps go on like this... Pull this down. There."

"Watch your elbow."

"Here, try this blue one. It goes with your hair color."

"This is just a sheet."

"That's nothing. Look at this. It's just one square inch of fabric."

Ariel walked out from behind the screen first. While the others kept searching for something that would preserve their dignity, her people had no qualms about bare skin. She had chosen little green panties with a transparent skirt. It showed off her legs and reminded her of the ruff around her waist as a mermaid. Her bra was red instead of purple, for something different. But for modesty's sake, a plain infinity scarf wrapped around her neck and chest.

The problem was she couldn't keep the trident strapped to her back with such skimpy clothing. And leaving it behind was not an option. Then she saw a discarded grass skirt on the ground. With a little quick weaving, she fastened it to the trident's tines. Now it looked like a palm-leaf fan she could carry around.

Rapunzel peeked out, unbraided golden hair spooling behind her. Hopefully, Lowther wouldn't recognize her as a magical artifact. Her purple and pink one-piece bodice covered her torso, except for the lacing, which exposed the skin from breastbone to navel.

"This feels so weird," she whispered. She clutched a gold necklace that looked pretty, unaware how it drew attention to her neckline.

"It looks good," Ariel whispered back. "Watch your stockings."

Rapunzel rehooked the white lace stockings that stretched to mid-thigh.

The gnomeling was still waiting for them in the doorway. The two of them posed and grinned.

"Elsa?" Ariel asked through gritted teeth.

"I am not coming out," she whispered.

"You've got to," Rapunzel said.

"No."

Rapunzel leaned behind the screen. "It's not that bad," she said.

"It's demeaning."

"It's okay. We all look like this. It's just another disguise. No one who matters is going to see you."

"Girls, he's waiting," Ariel whispered, eye contact still on the gnomeling.

Elsa emerged walking tall and courtly, wearing a two-piece arctic blue lingerie bikini. The top was covered with glittering sequins and trimmed with white fur. The bottom, also furred on the hips, attached to sheer blue stockings that ended in high heels. She stood beside the two other girls and tried grinning.

The gnomeling sighed and turned, making a slight tug of the shoulder to say "come on"

They followed him across the palace to the western wing, through more monuments to decadence--replicas of long-forgotten art, sculptures, lithographs. Magic flowers emitted pungent smoke. They could hear a waterfall from behind one of the doors.

The tour ended in the solarium--a tiled room with three glass walls so warm sunlight could shine through. Four meagerly clad women stood around a porcelain tub, two of them massaging a pair of porky feet.

The tub was full of sweet creams and oils, mixed together in a greasy mess. Rapunzel resisted the urge to pinch her nose. Only the head and feet of "the master" stuck out, but that was enough to frighten them about what the rest of his body looked like.

Lowther's face was grotesquely fat, pocked with zits, glistening with tallow and sweat, especially in the folds in his neck. His blotched, red cheeks quivered as he spoke.

"About time. Oh, you do look new," he uttered. "That glamour spell is finally providing some range." He squinted. "Slight builds. But easy on the eyes."

Lowther's body rose out of the cream bath, using magic instead of his own muscle. His feet touched down on the white tile as light as a feather. Milk and oil dripped off him like whey.

Ariel, Elsa, and Rapunzel tried their best to look away without looking like it, although his monstrous bulk covered any of his privy parts.

With another flash of magic, the residual milk evaporated off his body. One of the women slipped a thin bathrobe over his shoulders.

"Well, it's been a while. You can choose. Should we go out to the island or watch a tournament?"

The three of them eyed each other, knowing every millisecond that passed would gain suspicion.

"Um, what tournament is it?" Rapunzel asked.

"You know, the daily tournament of souls and freaks? My fancy's wandered to the disfigured as of late. How do they fight? I was thinking next should be people with no arms versus no legs. Should be interesting to watch."

 

Elsa swallowed, suppressing her urge to vomit. "Let's do the island."

Lowther cocked his head. "Very well."

He raised his hand. The glass walls separated and melted away, opening a hole to walk through. Lowther headed outside as gnomelings rushed forward, laying down swaths of carpet in his path.

Ariel, Elsa, and Rapunzel followed him down a grassy hill to a river bank. At the bottom lay a small dock with an unusual tied-up boat. Instead of being a bladed shape, it was a rectangular platform on two steel barrels welded end-to-end.

Lowther hoisted his bulk into a pile of red velvet pillows in the center. He must have been using magic to keep his heft aloft, because there was no way he could move on his own. A dish of cheeses and grapes appeared to his left, a bucket with wine in cold water on his right.

"Red, you drive. You ain't got much on the balcony, but a big enough garden. And I like having a keen view on the way." He turned to Rapunzel. "I'd ask you, but your hair's a better door than a window. Better trim that back. There's such a thing as overdoing it, you know."

Lowther curled his fingers to Rapunzel in a "start feeding me" motion. Rapunzel plucked off a grape like it was rotted and pressed it into his mouth. This was like feeding livestock.

Ariel clenched her teeth and walked up to the steering column. She searched for a rope or sail release. Suddenly the boat started off.

She looked over the side, expecting the boat to move on its own. But a neat line of oars stuck out from holes, turned by tiny rowers beneath them.

"Are those gnomelings?" Ariel asked, momentarily losing herself.

"Huh?" Lowther's piggy, glazed eyes glanced to Ariel's viewpoint. "Oh, the little slaves. Of course."

"Did you create them?" Elsa asked.

"Of course. Are you new?" He looked alarmed, like he was about to figure out the jig was up. Then he settled. "Ah, you're flattering me. Got it. They're remnants of the townspeople. I've transmuted and resurrected them so many times, the bodies have become somewhat... mangled. That's what happens over... I don't know. Two hundred? Three hundred years? Ah, who cares. Anyway, I didn't 'create' create them. That's divine power. But I do seem to have found the perfect form. Strong enough to work hard, small enough not to be a threat. Not that it matters anymore--their minds are attuned to my needs." He scratched at one of his boils.

He opened his mouth toward Elsa and the chocolate dish. She daintily picked up a piece and dropped it on his tongue. To her disbelief, this was making chocolate look disgusting.

"But the women you left untouched," Rapunzel added.

"Well, I wouldn't say untouched. Haw haw." He laughed with a throat full of phlegm. "A glamour spell or two does wonders to keep things stimulating." Lowther accepted a mouthful of grapes.

"You do seem to have created a paradise," Elsa said while he chewed.

With mouthful, Lowther said, "I don't know why anyone with magic talent doesn't do this. Why are they so concerned about establishing power and dominating others? What does it get you? A headache."

"You could have helped your fellow man," Rapunzel said. Elsa gave her a look that shut her up.

Lowther was oblivious. "Why concern the self with lesser mortals? This is a gift. I earned this. It would be foolish not to take advantage. Hellfire could envelope the world for all I know. Let it burn. I've got my own little slice of heaven here."

The boat lurched forward, sliding across a sandbar. Elsa, Rapunzel, and Ariel jerked. Lowther's fat rippled.

"What was that?" Ariel asked.

"We're here." Lowther hoisted a leg over the pillows and held up his arms. He was gesturing for help.

Rapunzel and Elsa each took an unctuous arm, held their breath, and pulled him up. He waddled off the boat onto the sandy riverbank.

Above the grove of trees, scores of colored birds tweeted and fidgeted. A cherry-red and lime-green parrot hopped from branch to branch. Larks and quails zipped from one tree to the other in complex weaves. Elsa had never seen anything like it. These birds weren't meant to be on the same continent, let alone the same forest.

Lowther turned back his head. "Red! What are you doing? Rope up the boat. You want it to float away?"

Elsa and Ariel sprang to work, tying the boat to a nearby tree. "I can't believe this is working," Ariel whispered.

"He's been in his own private paradise so long, he thinks nothing can get in," Elsa said.

"I don't get it. How is he not miserable? He gets everything he wants. Everything he tries, he wins. There's no adventure."

Elsa shrugged. "Guess he's whittled his needs to simple ones."

Lowther held out his arm and, in a shower of sparkles, a spear materialized. "This'll be impressive. We'll find that Silverwing reindeer today. A hart. I've seen its tracks."

"Silverwing deer?" Ariel asked. "Those are rare."

"Indeed. Excellent sport. And this one's of fourteen tines. Been in the forest a while now. Could be my last one. But I'll take it down."

Lowther stalked forward through the shrubs of the rough land, holding out his spear. Ariel, Rapunzel, and Elsa leaned into each other.

"Eric told me there are no Silverwing reindeer in this land anymore," Ariel whispered. "For hundreds of years."

"He must have seized them long ago," Rapunzel said.

"And he's hunting them for sport?" Elsa asked. She clenched her fist. Rapunzel put a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Ladies! Attend!" Lowther shouted.

The three of them followed in heels and skirts, keeping as far back as they could without being obvious about it.

* * *

"Here's my theory," Elsa whispered.

Ariel thanked her stars for something to distract her. He had ordered complete quiet, only speaking to ask for more wine or to wipe the sweat between his folds. Their feet hurt from treading the thick-hewn meadow.

"So Lowther gets his magic from Temeris. Must be the body since Arcius has the heart and Ravir the mind. I bet that's the reason for all his fleshly desires."

"That makes sense," Rapunzel said. "Explains why he didn't take over any countries. He didn't need to take revenge or prove himself."

"He just selfishly created his own paradise," Ariel added.

Elsa nodded. "And he locks it off, so no one else can get in. No one can find him. No one can disturb him. Otherwise, his little illusion would break. He can make it so that anyone even _thinking_ about it forgets right away. That way no one even comes on it by accident. That's why no one knew what you were talking about, Ariel."

"So then... how come I saw it?" Ariel asked.

"I have no idea. But it's a good thing you did. Or we would have never found this place."

Ariel smiled. "I couldn't have done it if you didn't believe in me."

Lowther grunted, as if he had fallen over something. "Where are you ditzes!?" he bellowed. "More wine!"

They skipped up to him. A pink stain ran down his tunic.

"Look at this. I've spilled all over my chest. One of you should be carrying this." He shoved the bottle into Rapunzel's bodice.

"Sorry, sir."

Lowther pointed at the ground. "Tracks. Found him. Just a matter of time now." He treaded forward as stealthily as a beached whale.

They followed the path, with Lowther poking the ground occasionally. Ariel spotted it before Lowther did--a giant stag camouflaged by white-barked trees. With its thick rectangular body and white chest, it looked magnificent.

"Ah," Lowther said. "There. First I'll silence our feet." He waved his hand. Lowther took a step. Instead of the crunch of leaves and grass under his elephantine foot, it made no sound. Lowther continued on.

"Why doesn't he just turn invisible?" Elsa snarked to herself.

"Sh, don't give him ideas," Rapunzel said.

The beast perked up once. For a reindeer, a healthy dose of paranoia attributed to a long life. But Lowther continued regardless. He strafed around the trunks, keeping the reindeer in sight. When he had a clear shot, he repositioned the spear to overhand.

Rapunzel and Elsa relaxed a little. They didn't believe he had the muscle strength to reach his target. With a grunt, the spear launched high into the air.

When it reached the top of its arc, it continued on. Rapunzel and Elsa's jaws dropped. He was using magic to propel the weapon. With a sickening thwack, the pointed end stuck in the deer's midsection. It mooed and dropped.

"Got it." Lowther pumped his fist.

He sprinted to his kill like a baby who'd learned the joy of walking. After a moment examining the body, he plucked out the spear. He stood with one foot on the deer's side like a magnificent hunter. "Remember this ladies. I might want a picture later."

Blood trickled out of the black hole with each labored breath. The beast was still alive. All that magic and he hadn't even made a kill shot.

Lowther took his foot off. "Phew. Now I'm hungry. Hey! Chop, chop." He clapped his hands.

Gnomelings appeared from all corners of the forest and sped toward the clearing. They set a table, chairs, a white tablecloth, plates of food and drink, and candelabras.

As Lowther sat, a gnomeling stuck a pipe in Lowther's mouth and lit it. "Come, girls. Stop looking at that hideous thing," he said as he puffed.

They stood vigil, watching its body heave up and down. Its glassy eyes stared out and its tongue hung out. "You're just going to leave it?" Ariel asked. "You're not even going to eat it?"

"What? No. That's disgusting. I have stuffed goose liver pate right here. Why would I eat that?"

"Not even for your workers?" Elsa asked. "It could be a treat."

"Pfeh. I'm not going to waste it on them. Grain and rice is all they need. Now get over here. There's honeyed fig tarts, oatbread, and lobster caviar. We can have lunch while we watch its life fade."

Ariel and Elsa forced themselves to turn away. The gnomelings pulled out chairs for them at the circular table.

But Rapunzel didn't move.

Ariel turned. "Rapunzel, what are you doing?"

She heaved a big breath.

Ariel didn't know what she was thinking, but Elsa did. "Rapunzel, that's not a good idea," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"I have to." She knelt down to the wounded animal. Rapunzel coiled her hair over the wound. Its head twitched.

"Girl! What are you doing?" Lowther commanded.

She ignored him. Pressing her hand to her heart, she sang. " _Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine..."_

The blooming light cast her in silhouette. Lowther leaned back, speechless. When she finished, she stood up. The reindeer propped itself up on one knee.

"Wh- wh- wh- wh- wh- what was that? What did you-"

That was all Lowther could manage. As soon as the reindeer was on all four legs, it made a deep whoofing sound. Rapunzel sprinted out of the way before it rampaged forward.

Ariel and Elsa dove aside. The gnomelings squealed and returned to the corners of the forest where they had appeared.

Lowther stayed seated and slack-jawed until the monster was only feet away. Then he upset the table and chair trying to scramble away, but only managed a few feet. The reindeer rammed him with both antlers.

The girls never thought such a man could lift into the air, but they were witnesses. Lowther cartwheeled ten feet above the forest floor, then landed with a sickening thud. The reindeer bolted into the forest, disappearing.

Lowther groaned. When the lights stopped dancing in front of his eyes, he focused on the three heads with flinty stares. One was holding a golden trident to his throat.

"Who are you girls?" Lowther asked. "You're not from here."

"No." Elsa said. "We're not."


	31. What Girls Are Afraid Of

The girls marched him back to the boat. His hands were roped in Rapunzel's hair and tied in one of Elsa's sailor knots. Ariel pointed her trident at his back, the center point never more than an inch away from his flesh. She told him if she even felt a hint of magic, she'd blast him back to reality. Even if he could teleport or fly away, Rapunzel would snap him right back.

Once on the boat, Ariel stuck the trident in the water and propelled them back to the castle. Elsa and Rapunzel stood on opposite sides, monitoring their captive.

"Can't you untie me now? I'm not going to attack you," Lowther said. "You've got me captured. And my hands are starting to hurt."

"Tough," Elsa said.

"What if I lose circulation? My hands might get gangrene and need to be amputated. My blood circulation's not good-"

"You know what? All I need to do is think about any part of your 'castle' and that washes away any sympathy," Elsa said.

Lowther gave her a sidelong glance. "You know, I don't need my hands to use magic."

"I'm sure," Elsa said. "But I bet being tethered by magic golden hair has some effect against it. You want to prove me wrong? Go ahead."

Lowther wiggled his hips restlessly. "All I want to do is conjure up some wine. I'm so thirsty. And I think my leg might be broken."

"There's a leg under all that?" Ariel smirked.

Lowther stayed silent until they reached the dock. Rapunzel secured the boat while Elsa and Ariel kept watching him.

"Look, what do you want? Money? Food? Riches? I can give you anything. I mean literally anything . You want a unicorn? Just say what color."

"The only thing we want is answers," Ariel said. "We want to know about your magic. Where you got it, what it does."

"And especially," Elsa said, "what you know about Arcius Cansteth."

Lowther stiffened. "Ah." He looked around. "I understand now. Let's go to my study. No one's allowed there."

"You mean there's a room in this palace not dedicated to food or debauchery?" Rapunzel sneered.

Before that, Elsa demanded a set of clothes that would return their dignity. Lowther directed them to a closet near the harem's room. Elsa and Rapunzel found dresses similar to their purple and blue frocks. Ariel settled on a plain shirt and slacks.

They went up a flight of stairs (which Lowther complained about throughout the climb) to a corner room with more red carpet and walls of cherrywood bookcases. A sepia navigator's globe sat next to the long mahogany desk.

"I think you can untie me now. It's not like I have anywhere to go. You three have me."

Rapunzel scowled. "Forget it."

"At least give me some wine. I'm not saying a word until I get some wine."

"Sounds like you have plenty of 'whine'," Elsa said. "Don't take us for fools. You are the one who didn't recognize three women who had never been here. You didn't even ask why one had seventy-foot long hair."

"I thought you were just eccentric," Lowther shrugged.

"You got over-confident. You thought nobody could see through your illusion," Rapunzel said.

"A few hundred years will do that." Lowther walked around to the back of his desk. The hands clasped behind his back gave him the mistaken impression of a lecturing professor. "Okay. So what is it you girls want to know?"

"Why is there a gravestone with your name on it outside this palace? Is that just another distraction?" Rapunzel asked.

"How do you know Arcius Cansteth?" Ariel asked. "When did you meet him?"

"Which power do you have?" Elsa asked. "Is it his body? How did you control his power? Why is-"

"Whoa, whoa, one at a time," he said. "First, let's set the record straight. I'm not the real Lowther Vonde Brackridge. He died centuries ago."

"He died?" Ariel asked, stunned that anyone that powerful could be killed. "How?"

"Don't ask me. Some villagers said he was murdered, some said he took his own life. All I'm sure of is it wasn't a natural death. The town hated him. Kept talking crazy about finding great wealth or power. Probably died in his cabin. Townspeople said it was haunted so no one had touched anything. Didn't find his body, but I found his books. And a canopic jar."

"Temeris's essence," Ariel said.

"You know the legend. Very good," Lowther said. "Anyway, I read all his notes. They told me about the cult, his journey, magic as old as the world. Everything a growing boy needs to control the cosmos. After a little dabbling, I realize what I can really use it for." He gestured to his palace. "First few decades were trial and error, but I finally got what every man wishes for. I made my own personal Shangri-la."

"How are you able to keep it hidden? And why was I the only one to see it? I asked everyone in town and they all acted like it wasn't on the map. Even when it was right in front of their faces," Ariel asked.

"That would be the morimema." He pointed to a shelf with a glass display case.

Inside contained a floating eighteen-pointed crystal, glowing blue. The crystal looked so delicate the slightest touch would snap off a point.

Lowther said, "It's a little artifact I found. Makes it so no one can know this location. The memory just slides away like water off a duck's back. Except you, apparently. Let me guess, you've been touched by Temeris's magic?"

Ariel nodded. "Arcius lifted a spell off me."

"Oh, so you've met him. Lucky you."

"You haven't?" Elsa asked.

Lowther shook his head. "Found three letters poking up out of the ground with instructions to mail them, signed by Arcius Cansteth. I knew who he was from the notes. Don't know how he did it or why he didn't just show up."

"He's somewhere he can't leave," Ariel said. "We think."

"That's what I figured," Lowther said. "Anyway, I could've pretended I never saw it. But one thing I've learned from magic--you never piss off a magician. You never be beholden or obligated to him. First time I had to leave this place in centuries. Two were easy, just mail to different countries. The third I had to go into a specific spot in the ocean."

"Weren't you suspicious at all? Didn't you resist being dragged to the outside world? Even for a small amount of time," Elsa asked.

"Like I said. You don't piss off a magician. And you don't keep them waiting. I float over to the coordinates he gives me. Even has the longitude and latitude down to the seconds. I put it in a bottle, dropped it into a column of air so it doesn't drift away with the currents, drop it in, and zip back home."

"Except you used a bottle that was eight hundred years old."

Lowther shrugged. "I haven't had garbage in centuries. Anything I make here is half-figment. It vaporizes with a flick of my hand. Area's so saturated with magic, a transfiguration might not maintain outside. So I grabbed one I knew was real."

"It had an emblem on it that hasn't been used for centuries," Ariel said.

Lowther leaned back in his chair, letting his fat spread out. "That's what I love about the world. It keeps spinning, but everything here stays the same."

"That," Elsa said, "Should be the first thing to change." She pulled the morimema off the shelf. "How do we destroy this thing?"

"Destroy it? Uh... those buttons are a combination lock. If my hands were free, I could do it," Lowther grinned.

Elsa grimaced at him.

"Very well. Hit each button once."

"Simple combination," Ariel commented.

"No one but myself was ever going to be here. I haven't opened it for decades."

Elsa pressed each button once until it clicked. The girls hovered over the case, waiting for something to happen.

Bright light erupted. The three of them shielded their eyes. An invisible force blew them back like a cannon.

"I can't see!" Rapunzel said.

"What happened?" Ariel pawed for her trident. Rapunzel tried to move forward but something waist-high barred her way. The two others bumped into her back.

When they could see again, giant iron manacle encircled their waists. Ariel still had the trident, but it was pressed against her body, pointed up.

Behind the desk, Lowther held out his arms to one of the gnomelings, who was untying him. "Ha ha! You make it too easy. Fell right for it." Once free, he raised his jiggling arms in triumph. "Like I said, never piss off a magician. Now..." He rubbed his pale pink hands together. "Ooh, the things I'm going to do with you. You thought the tournament of freaks was bad? You ain't seen nothing yet."

Ariel and Rapunzel struggled to free themselves. But Elsa, the only one facing Lowther, stared him down.

Lowther said, "Yes... I'm going to make it slow too. Not to make an example of you. But I haven't had anyone so lively to play with for quite some time. I might even use you to breed a new generation. Lord knows I could use the variety. Yes, a new brood, just for me." Wet saliva dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

Elsa gritted her teeth. She curled her hands up, fingers wrapping around the manacle. Frost scorched the iron under her hands, spreading as quick as fire.

Lowther furrowed his brows, watching the metal glaze over.

Elsa grunted and tore off the section of iron in front of her. She tossed it aside.

"Uh-oh," Lowther said.

Before Elsa had taken her first step, Lowther picked up the gnomeling by his collar and threw it at them. The gnomeling squealed and fell like a thrown doll into the girls, collapsing them. In the meantime, Lowther ran out of the room.

Elsa led the pack after him. He was using some kind of float spell to move faster. Only his tip toes dragged along the carpet as he glided away.

They turned the corner into the grand hall, following the walkway that circled to the center staircase. But Lowther jumped over the railing. Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel slammed against the rail, watching him float like a piece of paper to the ground floor. He turned back and grinned.

Ariel and Rapunzel gritted their teeth in frustration. But Elsa didn't. She thrust out her hand. A flat plane of ice streamed out from the banister, undulating downward like a hair ribbon to the floor.

Elsa jumped on the ice and slid down to Lowther. Ariel and Rapunzel followed.

"Everyone! Attack them!" He pointed at the three girls.

The little creatures emerged from every nook and cranny around them. They pulled back woodwork panels, opened lamp hinges, crawled out from under stairs and beneath the rug. Some even pulled themselves from the indoor river, dripping and soaked. Lowther stepped out of the fray.

Rapunzel squeaked. Ariel and Elsa positioned themselves on either side, weapons at the ready--Ariel, her trident, Elsa, her hands. The four-foot tall thralls approached with random implements--knives, rocks, sticks.

Elsa froze the feet of one, but another took its place. Ariel blasted one, knocking it back where it stumbled, shook its head, and continued.

Elsa conjured a snowball and threw it. It smashed into the gnomeling's face, knocking it over.

"Look out!" Rapunzel shouted. She kicked one back that was about to close on Elsa, but it grabbed her leg. Rapunzel screamed.

Ariel poked it with the butt of the trident. The gnomeling lost its grip and flew away from Rapunzel's kicking leg.

As Elsa threw ice and snow, Ariel noticed Lowther backing up into an alcove door. "He's getting away!"

"What are we going to do?" Rapunzel shouted back. "We have to go after him."

"I'll go," Elsa said. "I have the most command of my power."

As if to prove it, Elsa clapped her hands together. Two tall pillars of ice grew in front of them. Each extended its sides into a wall. She thrust them out at different angles, knocking the gnomelings aside and dividing them. This left a neat corridor for Elsa to run through.

"Wait! What are we supposed to do?" Ariel asked.

"Keep them off my back." Elsa hiked up her skirts and sprinted to the alcove Lowther dove into. Some of the zealots followed, but many more stayed in the fighting circle.

Rapunzel, weaponless, backed against Ariel. The sea princess whacked one on the head with her trident. They were too close to shoot and she didn't want to hurt them.

"There's too many!" Ariel shouted. She scooped one up, using her trident as a shovel, and tossed it away.

Rapunzel gathered up as much hair as she could. "Run!" she shouted. With her free hand, she grabbed Ariel's.

Together, they barreled through a thin gap opposite Elsa. Ariel turned back and blasted a few of them off their feet. But more streamed in.

Rapunzel stopped in front of the harem door. "Hold it." She yanked the door open. "Girls! You're free!"

No response. A few perked up their heads at her.

"You don't have to suffer anymore. You can go where you want. Come help us. Take back the castle."

The women stared at her, glassy-eyed.

"Anyone?"

Nothing.

She shut the door. "Okay, that didn't work."

Now it was Ariel's turn to grab Rapunzel. As the gnomelings closed in, they ran further into the palace, passing corridors leading to unknown places. Paintings burst out, vases fell over, as gnomelings emerged, clutching at their hair. Rapunzel chugged along, holding her hair in front of her. They finally reached the door at the end of the hall.

Ariel shut it tight. "Phew. Where are we? A kitchen?"

"Looks like it," Rapunzel said.

The door rattled. Ariel thrust her shoulder against it, keeping it closed. "Find a way out," she shouted.

Rapunzel checked all the doors. The first led to a pantry. The second to a cleaning closet. "I can't find one. Who makes a kitchen with one door?"

"A crazy magician with no sense of interior design," Ariel responded through gritted teeth. The pounding grew louder. "I think we're going to have to make a stand here."

Rapunzel searched through cabinets and drawers for a weapon. Any weapon. She tossed aside spoons, wooden forks, bowls. There had to be something.

"Can't... hold... it..." Ariel let go of the handle and retreated further into the kitchen. She held out her trident.

"Come on, come on," Rapunzel muttered to herself. "Every kitchen's got at least one- ah."

Rapunzel reached above the stove and pulled down a frying pan. She returned to Ariel's side as the door burst open with thralls treading with zombie steps.

Rapunzel spun the cast-iron skillet in her hand. "Now you're all in big, BIG trouble."

Elsa entered a hallway that led to a dining room. The closed curtains bathed the room in dark indigo.

Only three gnomelings were pursuing, holding kitchen knives and sticks. She slammed the door shut, then sealed the frame in thick ice. Wherever they were coming from, they weren't going through here.

Lowther ran around the table. He had ceased floating so much as prancing across the carpet.

Elsa threw out her hands. A wall of white ice sprang up in front of him.

Lowther smacked against it and collapsed on the floor, his fat rippling.

"Look, look," he said, getting to his feet, "Just leave and we'll forget this whole thing. We can pretend this never happened, okay? You never tell, I'll never tell."

Elsa scowled. "How can I forget how shamefully you've treated these people? Especially the women. It's unconscionable that anything like this could happen in my world!"

"Well, aren't we judgmental?" Lowther said. "Face it, you would have done the same thing in my place."

"Do not insult me!"

"It's true. Give someone enough power, watch how selfish they get. Power allows you to do the things you would do anyway," Lowther said.

"You know nothing of power. You stole yours."

"And what about you? It takes decades to master the elements and you look barely twenty. What have you got, some kind of ring?"

"I may not have been given this power by choice. But I've earned the right to use it."

Lowther whipped out his hand. "Use it now!"

A flock of bats fluttered out from vapid space. Elsa cowered back and covered her eyes. The fleshy wings and fur brushing against her felt real. But when it stopped, they were gone.

Lowther uttered an incantation. A stream of mice poured out from his open hand like a faucet.

Elsa didn't blink. The small furry rodents rushed around her, some climbing on her feet, and scurried out the hallway.

Lowther mouthed another spell while she was distracted. This time, spiders cascaded out of the wall cracks, between the books, from under the candles. Orange, purple, long legs, hairy, glistening black eyes, thin needle-like legs. Their footsteps tip-tapped on the floor like an army.

Again Elsa didn't move. The spiders crawled past her.

"What is wrong with you?" Lowther said. "These are things girls are supposed to be afraid of."

"There's only one thing I'm afraid of," Elsa said, "and you're NOT IT."

A blizzard erupted from her hands. Biting ice-flakes stung Lowther's face, frosted his skin.

Lowther raised his hands. The giant dining room table tipped upward. Dishes and napkins avalanched onto the floor. The table rocketed toward her.

Elsa created a stiff ice wedge, like an axe blade. On impact, the table cracked, folded around her, and split into two slabs of wood. The pieces drifted past her, colliding with the wall.

She returned the volley, throwing out her own ice balls. Lowther deflected one, then another. Each flew into the walls and exploded into an urchin-like ball of spikes.

"God, that's annoying." Lowther swirled both his hands. A globe of pulsing fire surrounded him. The third and fourth volleys of magic ice fizzled against the shield.

Lowther laughed. "The problem with elements is they've always got a weakness. They've got-" He gasped. Then coughed. He fell to the ground, clutching his throat.

"Idiot," Elsa said. "Fire consumes oxygen."

Lowther dissipated the fire shield. He caught his breath and stood up.

"If you know so much about fire, have some." A cone of searing flame shot from his fingertips. Again, Elsa stepped back and crossed her arms. Snow and frost created an ice wall.

Lowther started throwing fireballs, sending each one with a maniacal laugh. The shield dented in as splinters of ice shrapnel burst out.

Elsa pushed forward. The wall of ice slid across the floor, threatening to press Lowther into the wall.

Lowther raised his foot and stomped. A tremor shook the room. Floor tiles spurted up, undulating toward her like a tidal wave. The ice barrier collapsed, shattering into a million sparkling pieces.

As the wave hit, Elsa's feet slipped out from under her. A bolt of ice magic loosed toward the ceiling. It hit the chandelier chain, which snapped. Elsa rolled out of the way.

The chandelier crashed in a bombardment of gold and diamonds. Elsa remained on the floor, shaky and gasping for breath. She seemed to have bad luck with chandeliers.

Lowther approached her. "I'm going to love having you in my harem. I don't know how to use you first," he said. "First, the brainwashing, like the others. I'll be the only one who ever knew you were this strong. You'll be so hard spoiled and you won't even know why. I bet you'll learn to love it. The others will get jealous of you spending so much time with me. Maybe even shun you. Trapped in a tiny room with no friends..."

Elsa seethed through her teeth. "NO!"

A shockwave of iced wind flew in all directions. Lowther flew across the room. His gelatinous body smacked against the wall. Bits of ceiling crumbled over him.

"I have had ENOUGH OF THIS." Elsa stalked toward Lowther. A trail of frost drifted behind her, small mounds of ice crystal grew from each footstep.

The room trembled. Frost spread over every wall, every piece of furniture. Candles blew out from the hurricane of snow.

The iced door burst open. Ariel and Rapunzel rushed in, holding a trident and a frying pan. They skidded to a stop when they saw Elsa.

"Elsa, wha-"

A giant icicle speared out of the left wall, angled downward. Gray bricks bounced outward, crashing into each other.

Another spear of ice crashed through the ceiling. Thick rock shrapnel crashed around them. The floor shivered and trembled as the wind roared.

"Elsa, this place is going to collapse. We've got to get out of here," Rapunzel said.

"I'm not running anymore," Elsa said. Her voice sounded deeper. "I'm tired of this chase. I'm tired of people I can't trust. I want to go HOME!"

Lowther uneasily stood back up. He thrust a fireball at her.

Elsa didn't move. The fireball shriveled to nothingness inches from her chest.

Lowther threw two more. Each disappeared before it reached within a foot of her aura.

Elsa brought up her two clutched hands. More icicles bayoneted the castle. The rumbling reached deafening proportions.

The wall next to Ariel and Rapunzel buckled forward. Ariel shot her trident. The blast propelled the rocks deeper into the room. Ariel and Rapunzel ran up to Elsa. "Elsa! It's going to fall! Now!"

Without looking, Elsa thrust her hand at them. A thick wall of opaque ice sprang around their feet. It grew taller, the walls drawing in. They were being sealed into an ice dome.

As the walls closed in, Rapunzel shouted. "Elsa! No, wait! Elsa!"

Elsa turned toward her.

Rapunzel gasped.

Elsa's eyes glowed white, bright as any lantern. Her eyes were ringed with magenta. Her hair had darkened to the color of candle fire.

Then the world became black.


	32. The Right Friends

There was no noise. The bangs and booms had ceased. The ground no longer vibrated.

"Unh, come on," Ariel said. She jabbed her trident at a point near the dome's ceiling, chipping at the ice. A blast of lightning in these tight quarters could be disastrous.

Rapunzel sat against the wall. The passing time, the muffled silence, didn't bother her. The image of Elsa did. She hugged her knees as ice chips spattered her cheeks.

Ariel felt all three tines embed, instead just of the center point. "I think we're almost there."

Three more digs and a beam of light appeared. Ariel scraped against the aperture. Rapunzel pulled away the loose rocks.

It was daylight all right. They could see trees and hear birds.

"How did we get outside?" Ariel asked. "Did we teleport?"

Rapunzel knew the answer, but said nothing while Ariel hacked into the loose hole. One final blow excavated enough space to push out their thin frames.

Ariel gripped each side of the hole, pushed out her head, then her whole body. Weaving through portholes of sunken ships had prepared her for this. She tumbled onto grassy ground.

"Where's the castle?" Ariel asked.

"It's gone," Rapunzel said.

All around them lay a forest clearing. Thick, powdery snow covered the tall grass, like a patch of arctic in the middle of a forest. No trace of the castle remained.

"Elsa! Elsa, where are you?" Rapunzel shouted.

"Elsa!" Ariel shouted. "Elsa!"

"Ariel, she might have... she was in the castle at the time."

"If she saved us, she could have saved herself," Ariel replied.

They searched, spiraling out from the center. As they got closer to the edge, the sad reality ebbed in. Elsa could have protected herself, but didn't. The power had taken over. She had been so single-minded, she'd forgotten her own self.

Ariel poked the ground with her trident. Something underneath the snow was glowing.

"What's that?" Rapunzel asked.

"The morimema," Ariel said. It lay in the snow, now dull blue instead of pink, on the remains of its glass case. "I guess it's all that remains of Lowther now." She placed it in her pocket. "It must have been the only thing not made with Lowther's magic, so it stayed when he..."

Rapunzel reached the edge where only pebbles lay on snowy grass. Where Lowther's illusion ended, so did the snow. "Ariel, we can't stay here looking. We've got-"

"No, look!" Ariel pointed to the ground. "Footprints. In the snow."

"It must be her. They're too small to be a man's." Rapunzel laughed and hugged Ariel. "She's still alive!"

Side by side, they followed the footsteps north into the forest. All they had to follow were the direction of the footsteps, which ended when the snow did.

Hours passed while they called out "Elsa! Elsa!" But no answer. No sign of her passing, no ice on the trees. They didn't dare rest, for hope they could catch up to her.

Ariel remembered--from studying the map--there was nothing much in this direction but a small, rarely-used pier.

"She's going where I had the _Barefoot Maiden_ dropped off," Ariel said. "I bet that's what she's heading for."

"She can't sail it without us, can she?" Rapunzel said.

Ariel shrugged.

Through the trees, they could see the ocean, along with the orange, pink, and red hues of sunset. And still no Elsa.

Rapunzel kicked a rock. "This is getting too frustrating. Nothing is going our way. Everyone we meet is trying to kill us. Your own kingdom, even," she said to Ariel. "And now Elsa's disappeared. Or something's happened to her. And we have no one we can turn to. No friends."

"We don't need a lot of friends," Ariel replied. "Just the right ones."

"Everywhere we turn, there's something new trying to attack us or stop us. What's going to be next?"

Their last steps brought them out onto the low cliffside before the pier. A boat was definitely docked there--a giant battleship. Its bow shadowed them, like the chest of a giant.

A group of naval soldiers walked up the gnoll towards them. Upon sight, they unshouldered their muskets and aimed. "Hold!"

Ariel and Rapunzel stood there dumbfounded.

Someone on deck shouted down. "What ho?" He had highly decorated lapels.

"A lucky find. Look now."

"Blast me..." he said. "Bring them on board."

Half the soldiers held their rifles while the others readied the rope. Were they mercenaries? Pirates?

They dragged Ariel and Rapunzel, bound and gagged, up the gangplank and on board the galleon. Other crewmembers gathered to see the commotion.

"Well, well, well," the captain said. "Here we are, waiting to prey on any passing ship. And who do we come upon but the two biggest enemies of the state. I would not dare calculate the chances of this. But a sailor knows not to question good fortune."

Rapunzel asked "What are you talking about?" but went ignored.

"Prepare the brig, sir?" one of the sailors asked.

"No. Execution. Immediately."

The deck murmured with mixed delight and surprise.

"Sir," one of the men said. Instead of a uniform, he wore a grease-stained apron with a saucepan hanging off his belt. An equally greasy handkerchief covered his grubby face. "Wouldn't it make more sense to bring them back alive? As hostages? We could use them for negotiations."

"As long as they still live, they have the chance of escape. I will not preserve them for the sake of my ego or to curry favor. Their bodies will earn all the accolades we need."

"What about that blonde one? They say she's got magic hair. Make ye live forever."

"Irrelevant. I'm not going to make a tactical mistake because of base greed. Too many have made the same mistake--they failed to use the opportunity when it came. Their pride or avarice got in the way." He turned to the others. "If he speaks again, stab him." To his lieutenants with guns, "Men, stand at attention."

Four men situated themselves in the middle of the deck. The ones holding Ariel and Rapunzel backed away and rejoined the crowd.

The captain unsheathed his sword and held it upright. "Ready!"

As the soldiers cocked their guns, Rapunzel looked for the man in the apron. He was their only advocate, plus something was familiar about him. But he had disappeared in the crowd.

"Aim!" The rifles dropped. Four empty black holes stared at them. Ariel squealed.

Rapunzel located the cook climbing up the rigging to the crow's nest. No one noticed him--all eyes were on the impending execution. Halfway up, he yanked a kitchen knife from his pocket and cut a rope.

"Fire!"

The cook swung down with the knife in his teeth as the word was spoken. He launched into all four, knocking them down like dominoes. The shots went wild. Two splintered the wood behind them.

The deck erupted into chaos. The cook rushed over and cut through their bonds. "Who are you?" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh, that's a fine greeting," he said. "I mean, granted, this is a good disguise, but not that good. It's the nose, isn't it? The handkerchief hides the nose."

"Eugene?"

The crewmen helped the soldiers to their feet.

"Traitor!" The captain pointed his sword. "Who are you? Talk and your death will be... less slow."

The man pulled his handkerchief off. "Why, you are in the presence of the one and only Flynn Rider. The finest rogue and magsman in the country."

The crewmen stared at him. "I thought his nose was different."

"Yeah, bigger."

"And more crooked."

The captain growled. "Kill them!" He thrust his sword in the air.

"Well, don't just stand there." Flynn handed Rapunzel a frying pan from behind his back. "'The smolder' won't work on these guys."

Flynn blocked the captain's overhead swing with his kitchen knife.

Two approached Rapunzel. They stepped in the loops of hair spooled around the deck. She grabbed a chunk and yanked. The loops tightened, pulling their feet out from under.

Ariel pulled out her trident. She spun the blunt end forward and socked one in the stomach. Another behind her back held up a cutlass over her head. She executed a 270-degree turn, whipping the end of her staff into his side. He whimpered, then crumbled into a ball.

But now her back was to most of her attackers. The nearest, she thrust her pole down. Its pointed ends jabbed into one of the sailor's boots. His eyes spun as he yelped with pain.

Ariel checked on Rapunzel. She was keeping the others on the ship from engaging with Flynn and the captain. It was all she could do to keep them away.

Someone sprinted towards her, cutlass outstretched to run her through. "Rapunzel! On your left!"

Rapunzel quick-stepped to the side and banged his head with the frying pan. He tripped and fell into a barrel. She gave a thumbs-up to Ariel.

Someone threw a metal bucket. Rapunzel smacked it with the pan, returning their serve. It wedged onto the thrower's head so hard it stuck. She glanced back at Flynn.

"I should have known you were a spy," the captain said as metal clanged.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. I've been doing this for years." Flynn parried another blow.

"You think you can win with a chef's knife?"

"You'd be surprised how handy kitchen utensils can be."

The captain grimaced, then followed with a flurry of determined slashes.

Flynn backed up against the railing, defending against the jabs. The tip of the captain's sword slashed his wrist. Flynn lost grip on the kitchen knife, which fell over the side.

The captain pointed his sword at Flynn's heart. "And now, miscreant, the die is cast."

KA-BONG.

The captain's head shivered. His body tensed. He fell to the side, slumped into unconsciousness. Rapunzel stood behind him, holding her frying pan.

"You mean 'cast iron'," she said. She reached out to help Flynn up.

"Thanks, Blondie. We should tally up who's saved who the most, just to make sure we're even."

"They say keeping score is bad in a marriage," she smiled.

A growl alerted them that the fight wasn't over yet. The remaining crew members were closing in on them.

"Guys!" Ariel shouted from above. She was halfway up the main mast, holding onto the rigging with one hand. The trident in her other hand gleamed. "Hang on to something."

Rapunzel and Flynn grabbed the railing of the ship for dear life.

Ariel pointed the trident into the ocean, off the side of the ship. The ethereal charge reached a pinnacle and a single gold beam shot into the water. Water rose like a tide at the impact point. At the same time, the opposite side lowered. In seconds, the ship had tilted forty-five degrees and still climbing.

The crew, those who weren't unconscious, scrambled against gravity. The floor that was supposed to be horizontal had become vertical. Barrels and bodies knocked into most of them, sending them splashing into the ocean.

One last sailor managed to clamber onto the opposite railing. His legs kicked in the air, but he wouldn't let go.

Rapunzel scowled. She grabbed a tress of hair and spun it with a sharp thrust. It sailed up and wrapped around his leg. She tugged with all her might. The sailor let go. With arms and legs flailing, he splashed into the water like a cannonball.

Ariel ceased her magic, righting the ship steadily. Once everything was level, she jumped down from the netting.

"Are you guys okay?" she asked.

Rapunzel and Flynn were already hugging and kissing each other. Ariel rolled her eyes and smirked, a little embarrassed.

"What are you doing here?" Rapunzel playfully punched Flynn in the chest.

"Figures. I finally find my love and she doesn't know whether to kiss me or kill me." Flynn cocked his head at Ariel with a hint of roguish smolder. Ariel giggled.

That didn't stop Rapunzel. "How did you get here? Why are you dressed like that? Why are you on this ship?"

"I'm spying for Corona."

"As the ship's cook?" Rapunzel asked.

Flynn grinned. "Number one lesson for sneakery--no one questions the kitchen staff. Someone got too nosy, I just threw potatoes at them and threatened to serve moldy bread. Better than being recognized as His Royal Highness Prince of Corona."

"But why? What's happening in Corona? Did you figure out the library fire? Did Ansel return?"

Flynn sighed. "That's a long story."

"We need to get to Arendelle," Ariel said. "We lost Elsa. And Arendelle's the only place I can think to look for her."

"No problem." Flynn rubbed his hands together. "I know this ship like the back of my hand. Just find a comfortable cabin, ladies, and old Flynn Rider will do-"

"I got it." Ariel trotted to the back of the ship. She leaned over the side and pointed her trident into the water.

A moment later, the world leaned again, twisting to the left. Flynn and Rapunzel held onto each other for balance as the wooden boards creaked and groaned.

Once the ship faced the open ocean a sudden jerk swept them off their feet. The masts swayed as the ship burst forward.

"There," Ariel said. "Arendelle by morning, at this speed. Assuming we don't veer off course. Keep the prow true north and we shouldn't have much trouble. The anchor's weighed and the rigging line's secured. Watch that boom, it felt a little loose. Do you know if the oakum is holding?"

"Um... I... I can steer," Flynn said.

"Good," Ariel patted him on the back. "And let's remember to take the flag down this time."

* * *

"So here's what we know..."

Flynn adjusted the wheel to the left. Ariel leaned over the rail, watching the ocean pass by. Rapunzel helped her husband steer.

"When you left Arendelle, Prince Hans and the Duke and were still in the harbor. Then all of a sudden Commander Ansel comes over the horizon with half the Corona navy. Hans's navy skedaddles. Ansel makes it to shore. Big celebration. He stays docked in Arendelle a while, just to make sure they don't come back."

"Good thinking," Rapunzel said. "People would know the queen was gone before long. Anna could use the help."

"Yeah, except for the part where Anna's disappeared and Ansel's declared himself ruler of Arendelle."

"What? When did that happen?" Ariel asked.

" _How_ did that happen?" Rapunzel asked.

"No one has any idea. They've been keeping their borders tight. All we know is, he's sending out diplomats and ambassadors to other countries, seeking aid and alliances. He's declaring himself Arendelle's new governor. And not under Corona's flag either. I think he saw an opportunity to conquer and he took it. Arendelle was weak, covered with snow, helpless."

"That dirty... I trusted him," Rapunzel stammered. She rubbed her forehead. "I told him everything about Arendelle's defenses. I spent hours going over the landscape with him. He must have walked in like he owned the place."

"It was a bloodless takeover. Calling himself Lord Protector, so it sounds less like an overthrow," Flynn said.

Rapunzel looked up, startled. "What happened to Anna? Is she-"

"Don't know," Flynn said. "He hasn't said either way. Just that he's instated himself."

Rapunzel wiped away tears. "I should have stayed. They were facing a war and I just left."

"Princess Anna was there, wasn't she?" Flynn asked.

"She... she's not... exactly..." Rapunzel sighed. "Look, I've got to confess something. While Elsa was gone, I took over most of Anna's duties. I formed the laws, made judgments, held meetings. And the people loved it. They loved it so much they asked me to be their queen."

"What?" Flynn said. "Are you serious?"

"They wanted me to usurp Elsa. For Corona to annex the country."

"Wasn't Anna their queen regent?" Flynn asked.

"She was. But... they think I'm better."

"What were you doing taking over her job?" Ariel asked.

"It wasn't my fault, I just sort of... slid into it. Anna was inconsolable when she thought Elsa was dead. She holed up in her room for days. Meanwhile Arendelle was still under having problems. Someone had to run the kingdom, and I was the queen's cousin."

"They really wanted Corona to take over?" Flynn asked. "Huh, they got their wish."

Rapunzel frowned. "Ansel no longer represents Corona. I would never tell him to conquer Arendelle. He's a traitor to the crown. As of this moment, I declare him an enemy of the state."

"I'd think twice before shouting that from the rooftops, blondie," Flynn said. "He's got a handful of countries backing him, and more he can call forward. Plus he's building up loyalty every day."

"We can't let him get away with this," Ariel said. "We can't let him bully his way into a kingdom that's not his."

"I don't know if it's bullying. The people weren't too happy with Elsa either." Rapunzel looked at her hands. "I mean, _we_ know her. But there's been two unexpected winters in a year. And she controls the weather."

"But this wasn't her fault. And we can prove it," Ariel said.

"It doesn't change the way they feel. They think she's an emotionally unstable sorceress who can bury the town in blizzards. And people shouldn't be afraid of their leader. Between her and Anna, no one's confident in the royal family. And I was thinking... maybe they were right. I was thinking about doing it."

"What?" Flynn asked. "You mean become queen of Arendelle?"

"They were... When Anna had to step up she... She's a great person. She's bold and inspiring. She's always trying to make people laugh. But she doesn't like conflicts. I saw her make some bad decisions just to avoid a fight. Instead of reading documents, she took us horse-riding. Some people just aren't good at making hard choices or inspiring faith in people."

"So you want to take her place?" Ariel asked. "I thought I knew you. But you're just as bad as Ansel."

"No!" Rapunzel said. "I'm not trying to brag. I'm really not. But you weren't there. I saw the way they reacted when I stepped in the room."

Flynn shrugged. "She does have a point. People in Corona say she'll make an excellent queen. They've never seen anyone as kind-hearted or supportive."

"Does Anna know you were thinking about this?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel shook her head. "Elsa returned before I had to make a decision. I didn't even tell Anna. I... I was too afraid to ask."

Ariel scoffed. "Because she would have said 'no'."

"No, because I was too afraid she would say 'yes'."

Ariel softened. She shirked back and looked over the ocean. Rapunzel, puffy-eyed and holding back sobs, stared at the opposite corner of the deck.

"What _did_ you decide?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel took a deep breath. Before she could answer, Flynn pointed straight ahead.

"Whoa, look at that."

They passed by a buoy, signaling the border of Arendelle's waters. The flag, instead of the violet crocus, was black and gold with a fist in the middle.

"Hold tight. We are definitely entering dangerous waters," Flynn said.


	33. Follow the Flakes

The dockworker stood where they would have lowered the gangplank, blocking their path.

"Welcome to Arendelle. May I see your permit please?"

"Permit?" Flynn asked.

The dockworker tapped his foot. He wore a domed helmet with a nose guard. As far as Rapunzel could see, all the dockworkers had been replaced by royal sentries. They paced up and down the shoreline with sharp spears.

"All ships need to have writ of consent from one of the allied kingdoms before being granted dock."

Rapunzel whispered to Ariel. "That's new."

"We can't allow in a potential risk, if your kingdom is not part of Arendelle's axis of compatriots. These are tumultuous times. What flag do you sail under?"

"Look, it's just me, my wife, and..." Flynn pondered Ariel's role, "my sister. We're a trade ship."

"Trade ship?" The guard looked behind him. "What are all those guns and cannons for?"

"That's... that's what we're trading. Do you need any? Can never be too careful in these tumultuous times."

"Do you have an arrangement with a specific guild?" the guard asked.

"A guild? Ah, sure. The guild of..."

"Here." Ariel held the folded up flag from the mercenaries. She threw it down to him. "Our buyer said to show you this. He said we'd be greeted as friends."

The guard fingered the material as if he expected it to fall apart. "Hm, this is a sanctioned banner. Still, this is all a bit suspicious."

Rapunzel whispered in Flynn's ear. "Do the smolder."

"What?" Flynn whispered back. "But it's a guy."

"Just do it. Trust me."

Flynn rolled his eyes. "All right," he sighed. "Here it comes." He propped one knee on the railing and gazed down. "Hey." His eyebrows knitted together. Lips puckered and pursed. His voice dropped to low and soothing. "I understand. You gotta be careful. If more kingdoms cared this much, there'd be less to worry about. And, may I say, that leather armor really compliments your shoulders."

The guard grew a bemused expression. "All right, you can dock."

Rapunzel and Ariel lowered the gangplank while Flynn cocked his eyebrow, confused.

"Thank you, sir," Rapunzel said to him as they passed. "Have a good day."

Once they passed by, Flynn whispered to Rapunzel, "How did you know?"

"Women's intuition," Rapunzel said.

The situation only worsened the further they went into town. Partisan-holding soldiers walked the streets in pairs, wearing armor with the insignia and colors of the new empire. Occasionally, a coach passed down the street. Not a friendly caravan, but a black, square coach with gilded edges, pulled by a war horse.

"Hey."

Across the street, one of the gendarme shouted at a citizen. "Pick up that can." He pointed his spear at the ground.

The old woman in the grubby wool cloak snatched it up. "Sorry, I just dropped it."

The guard grimaced. Rapunzel noticed soldiers with crossbows lurking on rooftops, observing the exchange. Townspeople darted across streets, huddled under awnings, and avoided anyone's gaze.

Their mouths dropped when reached the town square. It was devoid of people, but full of stocks and pillories. No one was in them, but it did its job of scaring the populace.

"This is awful," she said.

"I know," Flynn said. "It's worse than what I imagined."

"What should we do? Where should we go?" Ariel asked.

"The castle. I am the cousin of the rightful queen and Ansel's superior," Rapunzel said.

Flynn caught up to her as she took off. "Wait, wait. Are you sure that's a good idea? His seat of power's already got an indentation of his butt. It's going to take more than a stern talking-to for him to give it up."

Two guards stood in front of the iron-wrought poles, while others around the boundaries patrolled or watched.

"What do you want?" the guard asked.

"I demand to see Commander Ansel."

"Yeah, right. Take off, love," he said.

Rapunzel fluffed out her hair to make sure he noticed. She couldn't believe he didn't recognize her. "I am Ansel's commander-in-chief and cousin to Queen Elsa."

"Come off it. You don't look a bit like her."

Rapunzel pursed her lips. Hadn't Ansel told anyone to look out for a waify blond with seventy-foot long hair?

"Commander Ansel will recognize me, if you just let him-"

"She's brunette and you're blond. Unless that's a wig. Ridiculous wig, though. Hey, Hemming. Check out this girl's hair."

"What's she wearing? A stalk of wheat?" Hemming answered from his guard post.

"I know, right." He turned back to her. "All right, cutie, take off. You're wasting my time."

"I am not leaving until-"

Flynn grabbed her shoulders as the guard's scowl deepened. "I'm sorry, sir. My sister's a little addled. Likes playing pretend. Thanks for humoring her." He steered Rapunzel across the street, around the corner of a building.

"Did that go as well as you expected?" Flynn asked.

"We should be happy we weren't arrested," Ariel said. "Hasn't Ansel declared us public enemy number one, two, and three?"

"Maybe he's been too busy," Flynn said. "He's sending ships to every corner of the sea. He wants to make sure he's recognized."

"Or he never expected us to walk up to his front door," Ariel finished. "So we've got that going for us. What else can we do? Sneak in? Wait for him to come out?"

Rapunzel was still grousing. Until, across the street, a familiar face walked by.

"Augie!" She ran across the street.

"Who?" Flynn asked.

An old man in a blue coat perked up. "My dear lady. I never thought I'd see you again." They held hands. "It's a wonder to see your shining face. Much needed in these dark times."

"What happened?" Rapunzel asked. "How did it get like this? What happened after we left?"

"Oh, it was bad. I mean, yes, they drove away the blockade. Princess Anna did a boffo job of keeping them guessing until Ansel's ships arrived. Once they saw Corona's flag they high-tailed it out of there. Not a shot was fired."

"That's good," Ariel said.

"Don't relax yet," Augie said. "They asked permission to come ashore for a long-term stay. He says he wants to help Arendelle with the winter, keep it protected. Ansel set himself up in the castle, directing his men, sitting in on meetings with the minister of defense. But days go by and he's acting more and more like he owns the place. A few orders this day, a few more the next. To people he doesn't even have authority over."

"Why did they listen?" Rapunzel asked. "Didn't Anna say anything?"

"He slid in so slickly. And I think she was grateful for the help. But then one night, there's a fire in the bakery. There's a riot--people are stealing all the bread they can before it burns. They're hungry, you know."

Rapunzel nodded.

"But Ansel says this is what happens when you let people suffer for so long. That they're inviting a revolution. The longer they take inaction, the bloodier the castle's walls will be. So he declares martial law."

Ariel raised her eyebrows. "Anna would never allow that."

"She tried not to. There was a big fight in the throne room. At the end, Ansel orders his men to detain Anna in her room. Says she's responsible for letting Arendelle get this bad. She's no longer fit for the crown and he's taking over."

"Then the war starts," Ariel said. "Corona versus Arendelle. Arendelle versus my kingdom. My kingdom versus Corona."

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced." Flynn extended his hand. "Hi, Flynn Rider."

Augie squinted. "Are you sure? You look like that new prince in Corona. What's his name? Eugenia Pitzfervert or something?"

"He's my husband," Rapunzel interjected. To Flynn, "Augie's the royal astronomer for Arendelle."

"Was," Augie corrected. "They kicked me out as soon as Ansel took over. First thing he did was eliminate anyone without combat training. There's nothing but soldiers in there now. Recruited half the town into military ranks."

"Where is Anna? Is she still in the castle?" Rapunzel asked.

"I suppose. Imprisoned in her room, as far as I know. Ansel keeps saying she can stand by his side when she's ready to accept the responsibility of a leader."

"If she was dead, he'd be showing off her body," Flynn said. "He'd want to prove the old rulers are dead to cement his hold on the throne."

"And to brag about it," Augie added. "He built a pulpit in front of the castle gates. Makes speeches every day. Talks about how the old monarchy was weak. Promises to rid Arendelle of this icy plague even if they have to take the town apart timber by timber."

"I don't know what to do," Rapunzel said. "They refused me entrance at the castle. Didn't know who I was. And Elsa's missing. I thought she might have come back to Arendelle, but..."

"We're three people against an army," Flynn said.

Augie nodded. "You are not alone. There are others helping." He looked around for anyone eavesdropping. "See this?"

He pointed at the other end of the alley. There was a marking near the ground--a jagged snowflake in blue chalk.

"Rumors abound that there's a resistance building. And this is their symbol. That's all there is right now--rumors," Augie said.

"How can we find them?" Ariel asked. "They've got to be looking for recruits."

"No one knows. Either they're good at keeping secrets or they're not interested. Could all be hopeful dreaming from the people. But I've seen soldiers wiping away the marks when they see them."

"So _they_ must believe they're out there," Ariel said.

Rapunzel stroked her chin. "If they believe, maybe they know more about them than we do. We could ask... but we'd have to be sneaky about it."

"Excuse me," Flynn interrupted. "But did someone say 'sneaky'?"

* * *

By order of Lord Protector Ansel, the "Mossy Stone" had become an outpost for the city's soldiers. Of course, Ansel had paid the owner a fair fee for its lease and goods. But that didn't make the people happy that one of their watering holes was now a military installation.

The interior still looked like a bar, although all the liquor and foodstuffs had been removed, to prevent temptation. It was meant to provide shelter for soldiers trading shifts, to store arms, and hold detainees.

Gustav and Teodor were playing cards on one of the tables. They were the only two inside, and had been for hours. Until the door opened.

"Boy, rough shift today. Rough shift," the man entering said. He wore a full uniform with helmet. "Those Arendelle airheads don't appreciate what we're doing for them. They might gripe about us, but are thieves roaming the streets? No, of course not. So what are they complaining about, I say."

Gustav and Teodor glanced up. Usually the first thing a soldier on break would do was sit, put their feet up, and wish the pub was still stocked.

"Yeah, guess so," Gustav said.

"Haven't thought about it," Teodor added.

"And how about that resistance, huh?" he continued. "You see those snowflakes all around. Frustrating, isn't it? I've had to wipe away seven of them already today."

Gustav shrugged. "Not a big deal."

"I've only seen two myself," Teodor said. "And I didn't bother cleaning them off."

"But they must be doing all kinds of nasty things." The helmeted soldier pulled out a chair, turned it backwards, and straddled it next to them. "Like that one time... uh... you know that one time?"

"What one time?" Gustav asked.

"That big thing that they did recently. You know."

Gustav and Teodor gave him blank stares. "I haven't heard anything. Lieutenant's never mentioned it in his briefings."

"All I know is they like putting pretty snowflakes on buildings." Teodor laughed.

"Still, defacing our fair city. Our city we work so hard to keep clean. I wish I could head to the stockade and thrash the ones we got," the soldier said.

"We captured one of them?"

"Oh... we haven't caught any of them yet," the soldier said.

"Not as far as I know," Gustav said, placing a card.

"I bet there's someone who knows something. Do we know of any resistance sympathizers? I bet we could go interrogate them," the soldier said.

Gustav scoffed. "You want to? Be my guest. Standing orders are to make sure we keep good relations with the people."

"We want them to get used to us. We're going to be here a long time," Teodor said.

"But that just means we have to crack down. Find their base of operations, what they're planning. Slink into every rat hole and dustbin they might be hiding in."

Gustav regarded him. "Why haven't you taken your helmet off? Aren't you off duty?"

"Oh... I am... I mean, I'm not. I just stopped in to pee. Gotta go." He scattered off his chair and backed toward the door. "Go Ansel." He raised his fist in the air before he shut the door.

"Did he even pee?" Gustav asked.

Teodor shrugged. "Are you going to put a card down?"

* * *

Ariel asked, "Well?"

Flynn took off his helmet, now safe in the alley. Ariel had been keeping watch while Rapunzel knelt on the ground, scrutinizing one of the snowflakes.

"Those guys are iron tight," Flynn replied. "Couldn't get much out of them. Luckily, they don't know much either. They don't have any in custody and they don't know any members or sympathizers."

Ariel suppressed a sarcastic smirk. Flynn walked over to Rapunzel, who hadn't taken her eyes off the marking.

"What's the matter, honey? You fall in love with the wall?"

Rapunzel huffed. "There's a snowflake here. And there's one over there." She pointed to the corner of the next block. "Why are they so close together?"

"They want people to notice, to be inspired to fight back. They're spreading the word," Flynn said.

"If they wanted to spread the word, wouldn't it be more spread?" She hugged her arms and tapped her foot. "If there really is a resistance, there's got to be some way to get in touch with them. But they can't make it obvious or they'd be caught."

"Are they exactly the same?" Ariel asked. "They say no two snowflakes are alike."

Rapunzel perked up. She zipped into the next alley, then dropped to her knees and studied that snowflake.

"Ariel, you're the best!" She rose and ran further down the street. Flynn and Ariel sprinted behind her.

Rapunzel slid in the street and followed the path down to a lamppost. A small blue snowflake was painted on the base.

"What? What did you find?" Flynn asked.

"This isn't just a snowflake. It's a compass," Rapunzel said. She pointed to a thorny congregation on the snowflake's six arms. "See this? It changes on each one. It's the direction we're supposed to go."

"I never would have figured that out," Ariel said.

Flynn smiled. "Comes from all that art."

The three of them followed the symbols all over the city. At points, they got lost, or so they thought. But a little backtracking led them to the signpost they needed. The trail wound a loop around the town square and soon they were heading out of the city. Flat land became bumpy hills.

The three of them, huffing and puffing, climbed upward. If they turned around, they could see the kingdom spread out below.

"Are you sure... this is where... we're supposed to go?" Ariel asked between gasps.

"Should've packed my mittens," Flynn said.

"Look!" Rapunzel shouted, pointing to a pine tree. A snowflake had been inscribed on its bark. "We're still going the right way. We're heading to this..."

Her finger tracked from the pine tree to a small cave, hidden by the snow. They had to stoop to enter, though the cave ceiling was tall enough for them to stand.

No tunnels or passageways, but there was door at the other end. A door made entirely of ice.

Rapunzel walked up and knocked. The doorknob was locked. Ariel pressed her ear against it, cupping it with her hands to protect from the cold. After a few seconds, they heard singing. Whoever was on the other side was happy, judging by the tune.

Rapunzel knocked again, louder. The singing got closer. A window slid open, but only showed darkness.

"Hi. What's the password, please?" asked a jolly voice.

"Olaf?" Rapunzel asked. "Olaf, is that you?"

The voice on the other side chuckled. "Nope. Olaf-olaf-is-that-you's not it. Wanna try again?"

"Olaf, it's me, Rapunzel."

"Rapunzel? Hi! What are you doing out there? Ooh, do you know the password? I can't let you in without a password."

"I didn't know there _was_ one." Rapunzel said. "How do I get it?"

"You know, I'm not sure. Someone just told me."

"You could tell us," Ariel said.

"Oh yeah. It's... Oh no, that's how I got tricked last time. No, _you_ have to say it."

"Can't you give us a hint?" Rapunzel asked.

Flynn, rubbing his shoulders, approached the door. "Look, we don't have time for these games. It's freezing out here. I'm turning into a snowman."

"Snowman! That's it! See, you did know it."

The door clicked. It opened, revealing Olaf's goofy smiling face.

"Olaf!" Rapunzel knelt and embraced the little snowman. Not too hard, lest she crush his body parts.

"Rapunzel!" Olaf said. "I knew it was you. Are you coming to join the resistance? It's a really cool club. We don't have t-shirts yet, but I'm working on designs."

"Uh, that is a talking snowman," Flynn said. "Does... does anyone else see this?"

Rapunzel clucked her tongue. "Really, Eugene, I think he knows he's a snowman. You don't need to point it out."

"It's just... when I... the magic hair, I knew, but... this is a... how did?"

"Elsa made him," Rapunzel replied. "Didn't you know she could do that?"

"The ice... yeah, but... I mean, this is a... She can create living things? Out of snow? How did?"

"Sweetie..." Rapunzel tapped Flynn's face gently. "You're so cute when you're astonished." She followed Olaf through the door.

Flynn stood stunned at the door. Ariel sidled up to him.

"By the way, I'm really a mermaid. Just so you know," she said as she passed by.


	34. The Resistance

"Watch out for the fire. Don't touch," Olaf said as he picked up a torch.

The tunnel's upward incline told them they were heading north into Arendelle's mountain range. Thanks to the reflective ice on the walls, the single torch kept the tunnel well lit.

As they walked, Olaf explained how he came to be guarding the door. "So then they told me to go stand guard at the door. I guess they've got it all cleaned up now. But the noodles might be stuck there."

No one could get a word in edgewise as Olaf rattled through whatever came to mind.

"I still think we need a catchy name. I even thought of a few, like the 'ice guys'. Or the 'cold warriors'. How do you like that one?"

"But who, Olaf? Who is leading the resistance?" Rapunzel asked.

"We're here."

The endless tunnel tapered into a small alcove. Only Olaf could fit without ducking. "Can you push this up? My arms have trouble."

The three of them pushed on a sheet of wood in the ceiling. Powdery snow sprinkled on them as light filtered through.

The air was thin, dry, and crisp. The three of them stood on top of the world, surrounded by mountains like Earth's lords.

"Watch out, I'm throwing up!" Olaf shouted.

Olaf's head popped out of the hole, landing next to them. His other two body parts followed. He quickly reassembled himself.

"What is..." Flynn turned around. A gigantic castle of blue ice stood before him, embedded in the mountain's peak. Flynn's jaw dropped. "That... is one large castle."

"Another snow queen special," Olaf said. "It's the perfect place to plan a secret rebellion."

Olaf knocked five times on the gigantic double doors. The mountains echoed as the doors unlatched.

A giant snow golem, as high as the double doors, stood in the doorway. Icicles jutted out of its shoulders and back, adding to his scowl.

Flynn swallowed.

Olaf said, "Hi, Marshmallow! These are _new_ _members_. This is Rapunzel, Ariel, and I didn't get his name but he rides flynns."

Rapunzel stepped forward. "We're friends of Elsa and Anna's. We want to help."

The golem said nothing. It growled and stepped aside.

The bustle of activity echoed against the smooth walls the ice castle. People carried buckets, bundles of wood, and other supplies. Others were mending clothes or crafting tools. There was an odd trilling too, made by hundreds of little snowmen skittering around the castle floor. Each had a smile that was half-adorable, half-terrifying.

"Oh my god, they're breeding," Flynn said.

"No," Olaf chided. "These are my brothers. This one's Sludge, and this is Slush, and Slide and Hansel and Flake and Fridge and Flurry and Powder and Crystal and Squall and Pat and Sverre and William and-"

"It's a... it's a whole new species." Flynn grabbed Rapunzel by the shoulders. "Does anyone realize that? This is a civilization of people made from snow. Can anything get a reaction out of you?"

"Elsa already told me about this. She had a bad cold once, before her powers were totally under control. Every time she sneezed, these little guys would appear. She sent them all up here to live with Marshmallow."

"The big guy," Ariel said, while tickling one of the snowgies under its chin.

Flynn wiped his forehead. "Of course. The giant snow monster is named Marshmallow. And he's on our side. That's great."

"What's going on? I heard the door open." A man with nappy blond hair and a stocking cap appeared at the stairway railing. "Rapunzel! Ariel! You're back!" He turned behind. "Sven! Look who it is!"

A large bull reindeer poked its head over the side of the railing. Its eyes brightened and its tongue hung out like a dog's.

"Is that a reindeer?" Flynn asked. "Because of course. Why not a reindeer?"

Kristoff came down and hugged the two of them. Rapunzel introduced her husband as Flynn Rider. "But if he gets out of line, you can call him Eugene."

"Welcome to the resistance," Kristoff said.

"You did all this?" Ariel asked.

Kristoff nodded proudly. "The tunnel was the hard part. But the castle was too perfect not to use. Ansel doesn't know about it."

"What about these guys?" Flynn nudged away a little snowman nuzzling his boot.

"The snowgies? We're trying to train them, but they're pretty wild. Luckily, they'll do anything for cake." Kristoff reached into his pocket and pulled out handful of crumbs.

The little snowmen froze and turned their beady eyes.

Kristoff held the cake to the left. Hundreds of black eyes followed. He shifted it to the right. They followed. He tossed the cake into the middle of the crowd. The snowgies climbed over each other to get a taste, like puppies diving for a treat.

"The problem is this palace didn't come with a kitchen. And we can't make a fire for... obvious reasons." Kristoff shrugged. "But my family's here. They agreed to help. And others from Arendelle. There's so many we had to convert the throne room into a command center. We've got a supply room, infirmary, barracks, an armory--although that's not very big right now. There's not much access to supplies besides what we can sneak through. We could really use Elsa's help for that. Where is she?"

"She... we don't know," Ariel said. "She's missing."

Kristoff's face dropped. "Missing? Anna's not going to like that."

"She's here? I thought she was imprisoned in the castle," Rapunzel said.

"She escaped. The old 'bedsheets-out-the-window' routine. She said she used to do it all the time when the northern lights were bright. Elsa and her would sneak out and climb a tree to watch."

Kristoff led them up the stairs to the back of the castle. Without decorations or color, every room looked much the same. It was beautiful--full of crystalline shimmer and prismatic beauty--but all the same.

In the throne room, a young woman hunched over a map on the floor, measuring something with a ruler. Ariel and Rapunzel thought she was a stranger. Gone were her trademark braids and make-up. Instead, she wore a tight ponytail and woolen clothes with fur ruffs.

"Kristoff, I said I'm working on this. Stop distracting me."

"Anna?" Ariel asked.

Anna looked up. Her face softened. "Rapunzel! Ariel!" She clambered to her feet and tackled them in a hug. "Where's Elsa? Is she with you?"

Ariel and Rapunzel glanced at each other.

"Is she..." Anna's lower lip trembled.

"She's not dead," Rapunzel said.

"We don't think," Ariel added. "It's a long story."

"I like stories," Olaf said as he toddled in.

Anna sat cross-legged on the floor. "Tell me everything."

It took hours to recount what happened after the blockade and the return to Corona. Anna gasped at learning of Ravir's self-exile and leaned forward at the library fire. Meeting Arcius took a great deal of explanation and backtracking, which was understandable.

Rapunzel and Ariel had agreed ahead of time to fictionalize their moments under the sea. The important part was the bottle that led them to Lowther's domain. Anna's disgust at their description of his lifestyle needed no interpretation. But she rejoiced when learning about their retaliation. Except the end. Because that involved Elsa's last act--casting a protective dome of ice over them as the castle crumbled.

"And when we broke through, she was gone. We found her footprints walking away, so we know she was okay."

"How long were you in there?" Anna asked.

"I have no idea. It was pitch black and constantly rumbling. I might have passed out and not known it," Ariel said.

"Why hasn't Arcius tried to contact you? Or kidnap you?" Kristoff asked. "He needs you to complete his plan. And he doesn't sound like the kind of guy to take no for an answer."

"Maybe we're really good at hiding," Ariel said.

"You know, Pabbie might know something about this grain of time. He's old. Not as old as the world, but still pretty old."

"Let me guess. Pabbie's a snowman too?" Flynn asked.

"Of course not. He's a rock troll," Kristoff said.

"And his grandfather," Rapunzel added.

"Grandfather rock troll. Sure, why not. Makes perfect sense. Sounds fine," Flynn said.

Anna was shaking her head. "Kristoff. We both agreed we weren't going to try a rescue mission. He _told_ us not to."

"Rescue mission?" Ariel asked.

"That was before Rapunzel and Ariel arrived," Kristoff responded.

"Wait, what's going on?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna gave Kristoff a look. "Ansel heard about the Valley of the Living Rock. He marched in. We managed to get everyone out. But they got Pabbie. He used his magic to hold them off."

"Is he still alive?" Ariel asked.

"Our inside sources say he is," Kristoff said.

"How would you even kill him? A chisel?" Flynn asked.

Kristoff didn't look amused. "They haven't killed him, but that means they want him for something. Either information or his magic or ransom to get at the resistance."

Ariel stood up. "We've got to bust him out of there."

"How?" Kristoff asked. "We're nowhere close to the manpower we need to attack the castle."

"You don't need to attack. You need an infiltration. You can't overtake them, so you undertake them."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Kristoff asked.

"That..." She looked down at the map. "I need a little time to figure out."

"I can help," Flynn said. "Sneaking around castles is my thing."

Olaf jumped up. "I'll get the cocoa!" He toddled off. "A little hot cocoa always helps you think."

On hands and knees, Ariel studied the map of the castle and surrounding area. Kristoff hovered over her, pointing out what she needed to know. Flynn squatted next to them, making suggestions.

Anna pulled Rapunzel aside. "Hey, I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," Rapunzel said.

Anna tugged into the hallway, where they were alone. "So after you left, I found out what the people asked you. About you... becoming queen."

Rapunzel's eyebrows shot up. "Anna, I'm sorry. I never said anything to make them-"

"No, no, listen, it's all right. I understand why they did it. I'm not... I'm not like my sister. I'm not good at the whole ruling thing."

"That's not true," Rapunzel said. "You're driven and protective. They believe in your guidance. You're a great queen."

"That's sweet of you to say. But we both know you're a better one. I'm kind of scatterbrained. I hate schedules. I can't make big decisions."

"But what about this?" She gestured to the palace. "You're organizing an army to take down that dictator. The people of Arendelle are lucky they have someone who cares about them so much."

"That's for now," Anna said. "What about when it's over? What happens when it goes back to the day-to-day schedule. Just studying one law proclamation takes me all day. I can't make speeches--I'd trip on the way to the podium. What kind of queen is that? What I'm saying is... If Elsa doesn't come back, and you want to take the offer, I'd understand."

"Anna... I can't... I mean... what would you even do?"

Anna shrugged. "Live somewhere else. Maybe Kristoff could teach me how to be an ice harvester. Could travel the world. And there's other kingdoms and duke... doms... what do you call them? Duke-places? Dukeries?"

"What about your dynasty? Your titles? You'd just throw it away like that?"

"You know I'd rather be living with people than controlling them. Arendelle needs someone like you. Now more than ever. What I'm saying is, I wouldn't stand in your way."

Anna's eyes were sincere. She had learned things about herself in the time of their separation. Everything that had happened had made them take a hard look at themselves and their futures. Anna wasn't doing this because it was easy, but because it was right.

Rapunzel coughed. "Um, Kristoff said you had an infirmary. I assume that means you have some wounded?"

Anna nodded. "I'll take you to them."

The two of them walked into the hallway. Side-by-side but not together.

* * *

Ariel sipped her cocoa without realizing only sludge remained at the bottom. Instead, she tipped the mug back and downed it.

"Whoever designed this castle was smart," she said.

"It's part of the reason Arendelle's endured so long," Flynn said. "There are guard towers here, here, and here. And it doesn't help that the castle's surrounded on three sides by water. I mean, I know it works out for the castle..."

"The walls are too sheer to climb. Best we could do is launch a small assault squad, but I don't know the castle's defenses. And I don't want to attack our own people," Kristoff said.

"We can't help it. No matter what we're going to be attacking Arendelle people," Flynn said.

"But we can't tell who's on Ansel's side and who's just doing their job guarding the castle," Kristoff said.

"I don't want to get into a fight either. They can destroy us easily. The trident's powerful, but it's not that powerful," Ariel said. "But that's not the mission right now. The mission is to rescue Pabbie. Not to take back the castle. Not to attack anyone."

"I suppose there's always the old 'hide in a barrel' and pretend you're a delivery."

Kristoff shook his head. "Everything's opened and inspected before it goes past the doors. Ansel already thought of that one."

"What if you get a job? Apply to be a cook," Flynn said.

"The longer you're in the castle, the more chance you have of being caught," Kristoff said.

Ariel couldn't help but nod. She stared at the map, willing some alternative to come to her. This wasn't her land. It wasn't her castle. What did she know that would help?

"Elsa told me she broke out of one of the prison cells. Where was that?"

"Here." Kristoff stuck his thick finger on one side of the castle facing the fjord. "In the lower level."

"Was that ever repaired?"


	35. The Will to Thrive

Under the shroud of night, a black shape floated across the fjord. One figure rowed with a single pole. The other sat cross-legged.

"Ariel, I love you. But this seems like a stupid plan," Rapunzel whispered.

"I know. But it's the best I came up with. But I think it'll work," she said.

Ariel oared toward the embankment of sharp rocks. They could have moved faster with the trident, but she didn't want to risk losing it in capture. The last thing Ansel needed was more power on his side.

So far it looked like the resistance's reconnaissance had been correct. Guards were looking for fleets, not small rafts. As a result, no one sounded the alarm.

The flat wood bumped against the shore, right in front of Elsa's cell. New rocks and mortar lay in the point of ingress.

They stepped gingerly onto the shoals. "Still got the stuff?" Ariel asked.

Rapunzel pulled two vials out of her pocket. One was purple, the other a dark buttermilk. When combined, they would create a chemical, volatile but reliable, that could dissolve iron.

Flynn had given them to her before she left. They were expensive and rare, but he always kept them on his person because "a thief always stayed prepared" "Maximus doesn't even know they exist. I was going to use them if I ever got couldn't solve one of his scenarios. Would've thrown him for a loop."

Rapunzel uncapped both vials, kissed the tops to each other, and shook. Something inside fizzed. She poured the mixture on the window bars. The liquid expanded into foam, hungrily hissing and smoking.

After a few pulls, Ariel tugged the bars out with a stoney pop. She tossed them in the water.

Rapunzel waited for the remnants of the chemical to dissolve, then boosted Ariel through. She landed soft-footed on the cold stone floor. The cell door was closed, but not locked. Ariel waited.

A ribbon of yellow hair flopped over the window's ledge. It lowered inch by inch until Ariel could jump for it. The golden hair spooled around her as she pulled it in, end over end. Then it tensed. Ariel continued to pull until two hands grabbed the sill.

"Ow," Rapunzel said. "Usually that goes the other way." She hoisted herself in and landed.

Ariel flattened against the wall and looked through the eyeslit. One corridor was a dead end, the other ended in a locked door.

They took a deep breath and proceeded down the hall. Another door, this one well lit, lay in front of the guard's desk.

"You cannot hold out forever," said the voice behind the door.

Ariel froze and pressed herself and Rapunzel into the wall. "Ansel," whispered Rapunzel.

"You either you tell us everything you can, or we will destroy you. Believe me, I will find a way," Ansel said.

"He's got Pabbie in there," Ariel said.

Pabbie must have said something, because Ansel responded "Magic no longer has a place in this kingdom. Arendelle has become a city of structure, order, and stability. There are tortures that don't require us to penetrate your hide. Blackmail. Sleep deprivation. Solitary confinement. Everyone has fears. We will find yours in time."

Pabbie's raspy voice murmured something.

"Time is something we have plenty of. Think about that."

The door clicked. Ariel and Rapunzel seized their breath.

Ansel opened the door and turned. They waited for the door at the end of the hallway to click shut. Then they waited a minute more before emerging around the corner.

Hands on the handle, Ariel said "He didn't even lock it." Afraid of what she'd see, she opened the door.

Rats scattered at the sound of their entrance. Pabbie hung against the wall by his shackled arms. He was too short for ankle cuffs.

"Rapunzel?"

"Shh," she said. "We're getting you out."

"I am most grateful to you," he whispered. "And your friend."

Ariel was so fascinated by the troll's appearance--a bulbous nose, grassy hair, and mossy eyebrows--that she almost forgot her manners. "I'm Ariel."

"But you should not have come. This is too dangerous."

"We can talk about that later." She reached on tiptoes and examined the shackles.

"The key is on the desk outside," Pabbie said. "I heard it clink when they locked me here."

Ariel left the room and searched the desk. The keys were right next to an empty dinner tray. She snatched them up and tossed them to Rapunzel.

Upon undoing the first lock, Pabbie swung like a ball on a chain. After the other, he dropped to the ground. The floor vibrated when he landed.

"Now we just need to get..." Rapunzel took Pabbie's hand to the cell they had come from. But when she tried the door, it was shut and locked.

"Did you close this?" Rapunzel asked.

"I... I don't think so. I don't remember."

Rapunzel stood on tip-toes, staring through the eyeslit at the window, and their path to freedom.

"Did you see any other keys in that drawer?"

"Just the one."

"The guards must have the others," Pabbie said. "This is why I said not to attempt a rescue. It's too much risk. You could still escape without me."

"No way. We are getting you out of here. I promise," Rapunzel said. "Kristoff's waiting for us at the backup meeting point in the town's square. If we can just get out of the castle..."

Rapunzel scanned the room, looking for some kind of helpful tool. Her eye fell on the reflective silver dinner tray.

"What was it Flynn said?" Rapunzel said. "No one ever questions the cook."

* * *

The kitchen staff was so busy preparing food they didn't notice the door open. Ariel grabbed the two chef uniforms from the hook.

"Nice," Rapunzel said after she returned to the closet. The two of them pulled on the uniforms. Ariel could stuff her hair under her toque blanche, but Rapunzel had to wind the rest under her clothes. Now all anyone could see was their faces--lovely, but generic.

"Ready?" Ariel asked.

"If you think this will work," Pabbie said. He rolled onto the silver platter and bundled up into a rock. Now all they needed to do was leave while trying not to look like they were struggling.

Just as before, no one paid attention when they re-entered the kitchen. Even when passing through the tight spaces between ovens. One of them bumped into Ariel. "Excuse me," she said.

In the hallway, two guards walked past them. Ariel and Rapunzel grinned at each other. This was going to work.

"You there," someone shouted.

Ariel and Rapunzel turned around, mindful of the tray. One of the castle's servants poked his head out of the kitchen.

"Where are you going with that?" the servant asked.

"Um... out?" Ariel said. "To the... guard posts. With... food."

"They'll have to wait. Take it to the dining hall. The first course still isn't ready and there's no one providing table service."

He stared at them until they marched the other way. No chance of ignoring his order and running out.

The corner turned into the dining hall. Four elite guards stood in the corners, watching over a long table of dinner guests, including Commander Ansel at the head. Rapunzel recognized some of them as former council members of Arendelle. Others were lieutenants, new allies, or potential ones.

"About time," one of the portly guests at the end said. He gestured for them to come over. Rapunzel and Ariel slid the platter onto the table. "What is that?"

"Bread," Ariel said.

He poked it with his knife. "It's hard as a rock," he said astonished.

"It's made from iron wheat," Rapunzel added. "Stone-ground. An Arendelle specialty."

"Bleh. I've had enough bread," said the emaciated lady across from him. "Fetch some of the smoked salmon. I think everyone here's wanting some."

"Sliced very thin for me," said the portly man.

Rapunzel and Ariel gathered utensils from around the room and began preparing appetizers, using whatever food they found. They tried to stay away from Ansel. Fortunately, he was so engrossed in conversation, he wouldn't have noticed them.

"Weselton's on the run. The Southern Isles followed," Ansel said. "And they've no intention of coming back."

"But you said you don't know where they've gone," said a man in a decorated military uniform. "How do you know they aren't gathering stronger forces?"

"You're right. We haven't been able to locate them. But we've also got spies in all major harbors and countries. And their forces haven't arrived in any. Wherever they are, it's far from here. I believe they've dissolved their alliance and gone their separate ways."

"But you've sent battle fleets to search ships," said one of the councilwoman. Tora, if Rapunzel remembered right. "You've forced them to make alliances just to defend themselves."

"I promised the Princess of Corona that I would make sure no one thinks of attacking Arendelle again. And I always keep my promises."

Rapunzel gritted her teeth as she sliced the cold-smoked ham.

"And the result is a prolonged war," the councilwoman answered.

"Come off it now," said Lord Bjorn, another old member of council. "The best thing Corona ever did was appoint him acting regent. Everything we've done has been to Arendelle's gain. Our economy's improved. Kingdoms are begging for diplomatic relations. Why, people have nearly forgotten our cloudy conditions."

"Other nations believe we're cursed," said a thin man with glasses.

"Let them," Ansel said, holding up his wine glass. "A blend of superstition and force will go a long way towards proving Arendelle's might."

"And just why do we need to prove ourselves?" asked Tora. "The country was quite content before you arrived."

"You say 'content," Ansel answered. "I say 'lacking drive'. 'Unambitious'. Without a will to thrive."

Bjorn added, "Do you seriously think Arendelle had any military influence under the old regime? A couple of young women? One was a sorceress, the other a capricious rattlebrain."

"A capricious rattlebrain that's throwing your domestic situation for a loop," Councilor Tora said. She looked only too delighted to add that in. "It's only a matter of time before everyone realizes the princess has left the castle. And by then, they'll realize what kind of government you're providing."

"By then, they will be used to the benefits I am providing." He offered up his wine glass. Rapunzel had to walk over and fill his goblet without wringing his neck.

"With all the soldiers on the streets, you'd think you would have caught her by now," Toula said.

"It's only a matter of time," Ansel smirked. He swirled his wine. "Besides, have you ever heard of a resistance faction upending the status quo?"

A man who hadn't spoken so far piped up. "I think North America's had some success so far. Great Britain's given up on trying to retain the colonies, haven't they? And Mexico's been having its share against the Spaniards."

"Feh. That's on the other side of the world. Think of France, Serbia, the Ottoman Empire. The more things change, the more they stay the same. But this," he gestured to the castle around him, "is a remarkable fortress. I dare say it's the only reason Arendelle hasn't experienced a true subjugation yet. Surrounded by water, only a single bridgeway to enter. How could anyone get in or out?"

"The snow queen has," Tora said.

"And where is she now, I ask." He leaned into Tora, staring her down from the bridge of his hawk nose. "I think she's adopted the same lack of accountability as her sister." He tipped back his wine with satisfaction.

"When she returns, do you think she will be pleased with her actions?"

Ansel grimaced in mid-sip. Tora smirked.

"I remind you, madam, I did not come here with the intention to rule. But when I saw the state of Arendelle's regimentation, I had to intervene. _If_ she returns, I believe she should answer to what she left behind." He turned to address the entire table. "I am only doing what is necessary to maintain the state. A state which has undergone two cataclysms in one year. If Arendelle falls, its neighbors will fall. Its allies will fall. And we can't afford to let it be ruled by silly little girls."

Lord Bjorn interjected. "Soon the Southern Isles will send terms for surrender. Whether the snow queen reappears or not. The resistance will peter out once people realize how toothless it is."

"And that we do not intend harm," Ansel said. "My goal is not to conquer. It is to reconstruct. Once that is done, everything will be fine."

Two servants appeared from a side door, rolling an covered art easel. "Sir, the portrait you commissioned is finished. Would you like to look at it?"

"Dadblastit," Ansel said. "We are in the middle of the evening meal. Is a painting so important? You make me out to be a narcissist."

"Ansel, don't be so modest. I'd be thrilled to see it," Bjorn said.

"It is art. It will exist later as it is now," Ansel countered.

"Oh, Ansel, it won't take but a moment. I can't stand the thought of leaving it in the room unbidden. I would not be able to enjoy the rest of the night," said the emaciated woman.

"Very well." Ansel gestured to the two servants.

They positioned the easel at the foot of the table and swiped away the dropcloth. It was Lord Protector Ansel looking as regal as ever. His face as stern and dour as any headmaster, even down to the book he held in his hand.

"Interesting choice," Tora said. "I had expected you to be holding a sword or a scepter."

"Yes, I took care to feature that in my legacy. That there is no knowledge that is not power. It is the conqueror of all fear," Ansel replied.

A woman in the middle of the table pinched something on her plate. "Eugh, there's a hair in this fishcake." With her tweezer like fingers she pulled it out.

The hair kept going, even with her arm outstretched. With her other hand, she strung it out as if pulling a thread.

"What th'?" she said. The guest next to her goggled as, hand over hand, she pulled out more.

"What kind of hair is this?" It grew taut, catching a yellow glint from the candlelight chandelier. The thread led to the other end of the room, to one of the servant-girls cutting leeks. The guests fell silent, staring at her.

Rapunzel noticed the silence. She looked up.

"Princess Rapunzel?" Lord Bjorn asked. "Why are you here? Why are you dressed like that?"

Rapunzel's mouth opened and closed, in search of an answer.

"So much for 'no one questions the cook'," Ariel whispered in her ear.

Ansel stood, throwing down his napkin. "Guards!"

The loaf of bread at the far end of the table stood up and unrolled its limbs. The guests gasped as it unfolded into a troll-man. The surprised woman next to him caught his eye.

He put up his hands, stuck out his tongue, and said "nyah-nyah-nyah!"

The woman screamed and fell over in her chair.

Pabbie rolled down the table, upsetting candles, napkins, garlands. Plates and silverware clanked and cracked as he whirled toward Ansel, who sat motionless. The rock gutted him in the stomach, then switched direction to the door. Ariel and Rapunzel followed.

Ansel coughed--the wind knocked out of him--as the guards rushed from the other end of the room. "After them!" he said, after several seconds.

The guards rushed out the door, passing a portly man who commented, "I told them that bread was bad."

Pabbie waddled as fast as he could. Ariel and Rapunzel ran behind him, pumping their arms and legs. Each of them ripped off their uniforms in transit. A company of guards chased them, spears rattling with each step.

"We've got to get to the main gates," Ariel said, tossing her hat aside.

"They'll be closed," Rapunzel said.

"What was closed can be reopened," Pabbie said.

"Eek!"

Two armored soldiers jumped out, spears pointed ready.

Pabbie tucked himself into a ball. He rolled forward, knocking the left guard off his feet, then double-backed and took out the other, zipping in a straight line. Without a pause, he unrolled. "Come on," he said.

"Nice work," Rapunzel said.

"Guess there's still a few good centuries left in me after all," Pabbie said.

The hallways grew wider, which told them they were heading the right direction. Through the windows, they could tell which direction to go to move toward the town. They came to the two giant doors marked with tan chevrons.

The three of them pushed against the door with all their might. "It's locked. There's got to be a key."

Pabbie pressed his meaty hand to the door. "Too thick to roll through."

But it was too late. Eight guards emerged from the hallways and surrounded the three of them. Ariel, Rapunzel, and Pabbie backed up against the doors. The guards closed in.

In a few moments, Ansel strolled into the entrance hall, adjusting the fingers of his white gloves.

"Clever, quite clever," he said. "Frankly, I didn't know what I would do if either of you came back. But thanks to your actions, we now have charges of criminal facilitation, trespassing, burglary, and, if we find you have ties to the resistance, treason. Which, as you know, is a capital offense." He grinned at Rapunzel. "Maybe I'll hang you by your own hair."

Ariel could tell by his eyes he was serious. He might even order their execution now. She resisted the urge to shiver from the chill of fear running up her spine.

No, it wasn't fear. The door had grown cold under her fingers. "What is-"

The gates burst open. Ariel and Rapunzel flew forward thirty feet into the hall into Ansel and the guards. Everyone lay prone or supine, struggling to get up.

A cold and biting wind howled through the hall. Stinging ice flakes pelted their skin like tiny sling-stones. Ariel and Rapunzel looked back at the doorway, squinting into the wind.

She stood in silhouette, then stepped into the room. Her pale blue dress had become paler, and now had shoulder pads of ice spikes. Hair that was once ashen white had darkened to deep blonde. Most noticeable was the popping violet of her eyeshadow and lipstick. But her eyes--arctic blue with pinhole pupils--stared into their souls with unfeeling antipathy.

"Elsa?" Rapunzel asked.

Ansel stood up. She turned her gaze to him.

"I am here to take back my kingdom," Elsa said.


	36. Winter Is Coming

All eyes lay on the ice queen, but for different reasons. The eight spearmen held out their weapons, defending the commander behind them. Rapunzel and Ariel lay on the ground, uncertain if this was their friend or not. And what transformation had she undergone.

Ansel was the only one with presence of mind to speak. "Four to me! The rest, seize her," he yelled.

Four men formed a vanguard around Commander Ansel. The others stalked forward, one cautious step at a time.

Elsa swept her hand to the sky, sparkles of frost trailing. As if pounding a hammer, she struck down.

A tall pillar of ice grew out of the ground. It split four ways, like a dividing plant. Each stem curled down and grew long spikes. The pikemen backed away, but not fast enough. On impact, the stems embedded in the floor, pinning each man to the ground.

"Lay down your scepter, you-who-would-be-emperor," Elsa said. Her voiced sounded deep, as if coming from a canyon. "You have sullied my streets with your filthy cronies. "

"I'm not going anywhere," Ansel said. "And I won't allow you to tyrannize this kingdom again."

"It is not your place to decide Arendelle's fate."

"Every guard in the castle is on his way right now. This is your one chance, ice witch. Leave this place or I'll have your head."

Elsa smirked. "Lesser people than you have tried."

"You may have strong magic, but you aren't immortal. All it would take is one true shot from a crossbow. "

While they bantered, Rapunzel crawled to Pabbie, huddled in a corner with Ariel.

"This is bad," he said. "She has let her power overtake her. It's corrupting her sense of self."

"There's got to be something we can do," Rapunzel said. "She doesn't know what she's doing."

"We've got to get out of here and collect ourselves," Ariel said. "Ansel is right. More are on their way. We can't take all of them."

Elsa stepped forward, ready to unleash her powers again.

Rapunzel grabbed one arm, Ariel the other.

"Elsa. Wait. Stop," Rapunzel said.

"Let's get out of here," Ariel said.

Elsa ignored them. The girls grabbed her shoulders--one on each--as infantrymen filed into the balcony.

They rushed out through the busted gates. "Sorry! She's not usually like this," Rapunzel called back.

"After them!" Ansel shouted, pointing.

Carrying Elsa between them, Ariel and Rapunzel ran as fast as they could. Thrown spears clinked against the ground behind them.

At the end of the walkway, the wrought iron gates lay flayed open and twisted, coated with frost. Soldiers on the guard towers lay slumped over the parapets or pinned to the wall by ice shackles.

"Let me go!" Elsa fought against their grip. "This is _my_ vengeance to take. Nothing will stand in my way."

From around the corner, Sven galloped down the path, pulling Kristoff in the sled. He was supposed to be waiting for them in the town square as a backup. For once, Rapunzel was glad someone didn't listen to her.

Pabbie rolled ahead of the girls and stopped in front of Sven.

"Pabbie! I never thought I would see you again," Kristoff said.

"It's good to see you," the old rock troll said. "But we must make haste."

Kristoff stood up in his sleigh, watching the girls sprinting toward him. "I heard an explosion at the main gate. I thought- Is that Elsa?"

Rapunzel and Ariel threw Elsa into the back seat. "We'll explain later. Let's go."

Elsa stood up, trying to make her way out. "Get out of my way. This man needs to pay for-"

"Queen Elsa," Pabbie said.

At hearing the honorific, she turned her head.

"Sleep."

A fuzzy blue orb floated from Pabbie's stubby fingers to Elsa's head. As soon as it dissipated, her eyes closed, her knees buckled, and she fell into a heap. Rapunzel and Ariel shoved her aside to make room for Pabbie.

Kristoff whipped the reins. "Hee-yah!"

The reindeer let out a fierce whinny as spears and arrows flew by. He galloped away from the castle.

* * *

They sped through Arendelle, ducking behind buildings and alleys to keep witnesses confused. After leaving the city, with no one behind them pursuing, they headed toward the mountain.

Sven had remarkable stamina. But by the time they reached the palace doors, his legs wobbled with each step and his tongue hung out.

Kristoff jumped down and petted the reindeer's head. "It's okay, Sven. We're here. You can rest now."

Sven turned to him. Kristoff whispered in a chumly voice. "You owe me so many carrots."

"I know, I know." He buried his face in Sven's fuzzy snout.

Pabbie leaned out of the sleigh. "Your animal will be all right. If there are proper herbs, I can brew a revitalizing soup for him."

The giant double doors creaked and parted. Anna rushed through, holding up her skirt with one hand. Olaf waddled behind.

"Is Elsa with you?" she asked. "The lookout said-"

Ariel and Rapunzel hoisted her body out of the carriage. "She's all right. Just sleeping," Ariel said. "Something... something happened to her. She burst into the castle and started... acting weird."

Anna looked into her sleeping sister's face. "Why does she look so... different?"

"We need to put her somewhere before she wakes up. Is somewhere we can lock her up?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna looked aghast. "Lock her up? No... I couldn't."

"She's going to be very angry when she wakes up. She didn't want to leave her castle," Rapunzel asked.

"She almost attacked us. And we couldn't've stopped her," Ariel said.

Anna locked eyes with Ariel and Rapunzel. They all knew what had to be done, but no one wanted to say it. "There's a room in the west wing that can be locked. Just ask one of the others," Anna said, looking at the ground.

Rapunzel and Ariel handed Elsa to Kristoff. Sven followed as he carried the limp body past Olaf.

"Oh, hi, Elsa. She always falls asleep on those long sleigh rides," the snowman said. He turned around and followed them inside.

Rapunzel, Anna, Ariel, and Pabbie stood in a circle, faces as if returning from a funeral. Anna said "Her heart is frozen, isn't it? Just like you warned us could happen. When we were kids."

"No, this is different," Pabbie said. "A frozen heart knows no love or fear. But the ice encases hers. Like a fortress. It lets nothing in and nothing out. But if something is not done soon, it _will_ freeze."

"Is there a way to break through the fortress? A spell or something?" Ariel asked.

"Or some of your magic?" Anna asked hopefully.

Pabbie said, "You must find a way into her heart. Once that is found, the walls will crumble."

"Find the way into her heart? How do we do that?" Anna asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know, child," Pabbie said. "I don't know."

* * *

Alone in the war room, Ariel knelt over the castle map. Everyone but Ariel was with Elsa. Kristoff, Anna, Rapunzel, Olaf, even Flynn, were standing outside her cell, waiting for her to wake up.

Flynn entered.

"Is Elsa okay?" Ariel asked.

"She's still out cold... er... sorry. I just came to check on you. Got bored watching a sleeping queen. What are you doing?"

"I'm marking where I saw guards inside the castle. How many I saw, and so on." She sat back on her knees. "I don't think it's going to do any good. I only saw a tiny portion."

"Ansel's going to strike back," Flynn said. "And soon. Especially after getting embarrassed like that. He seems like the kind of person who would take it out on the citizens. Ordering surprise investigations, shakedowns." He started playing with a spinning globe.

Ariel nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of too. I wish we could act, not just react."

Flynn gave his cocky smile. "That's why it's called 'resistance'. Gotta wait to see how it all pans out before making the next move. Oops."

The globe Flynn had been playing detached from its spindle. The ball crashed and cracked on the ice floor.

"Flynn, we've got few enough resources as it is," Ariel chided. She picked up the ball. Something inside rattled.

"There's something in there," Flynn said.

Ariel shook it like a Christmas present. She dug her fingers into the cracks and pulled apart the thin wooden shell. Inside was a small paper square, folded to the size of a coin.

"How did that get in there? It would have had to be put in before the thing was built," Flynn said.

Ariel unfolded the paper to a full size sheet. It was a letter. The signature at the bottom read "Arcius Cansteth"

"Oh, no," Ariel said.

> _Your dearest highnesses,_
> 
> _As you have no doubt determined from the discovery of this note, my abilities to manipulate time and space expand much farther than you presupposed. Pertaining to this moment, you have returned from the castle and are planning your next move to free Arendelle._
> 
> _Do not mistake my observance as voyeurism. I merely state this fact to allude to my power. I am not, nor shall I ever, desecrate your private moments._
> 
> _Let me assure you that, were you within my care, this whole matter could be dealt with swiftly and painlessly. However, I fear the power of persuasion is beyond the reach of this letter. My purpose is to inform you that I have not given up my pursuit. Perhaps I acted in haste when last we met. Staying isolated so long has waned away my good manners._
> 
> _Nevertheless, and I do not say this in threat or jest, I cannot take no for an answer. The magic is too awesome to let it diminish unleavened. This correspondence in itself should demonstrate that fact. Nevertheless, I wish to convey its magnitude with further veracity. When you have the opportunity, observe the mountain range to the west. Then compare its vista to your previous knowledge of Arendelle. When you confirm the difference, you will know my solemnity on this matter._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Arcius Cansteth_

As soon as Ariel reached the part about the mountain range, she turned her head to the western window.

After she had stared silently for a while, Flynn asked "What? Do you see something?"

"It's completely gone..." Ariel muttered.

The door to the war room cracked open. Rapunzel and Kristoff entered. "She's still asleep. We came to see if you needed help..."

"Kristoff, you've been up living in the mountains since you were a boy, right? And you'd say you've stared at them all your life, right?" Ariel asked.

Kristoff confirmed he did. Ariel gripped his temples and rotated his neck. "Do you remember a mountain right there? It had a kind of a hooky peak and a big gouge down the center."

"What? No. Mountains? What are you talking about?"

"It was a little taller than the others. The top glowed orange when it was sunset. It looked like a torch. I saw it when I first arrived in Arendelle."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kristoff said. "The mountains have always been like that."

"He took out a whole mountain." Ariel muttered to herself. "I don't know how he did it, but he did it."

Ariel explained about the globe and handed Rapunzel the note. She read it, looked up. Read it again, looked up. "Does this mean he's watching us?" Ariel asked.

"He must be. He knew you were going to break the globe. He knew you would be reading the note at this exact time."

"But... he still can't reach us. He still needs us. Why is he doing this? Can't he just leave us alone?"

"He's running out of time," Rapunzel said. "Which means we are too."

"But Arendelle needs us more." Ariel turned toward them. "We need to stop Ansel here and now."

"But how do you expect us to do that?" Flynn asked. "We don't have an army or guns or swords or soldiers or anything."

"What _do_ we have?" Rapunzel asked.

Flynn and the others looked around blankly at each other. "Heart?" Flynn shrugged.

"We've got a girl with magic hair, one who can make ice castles, and the queen of the oceans." Ariel held up her trident. "We can make _something_ happen."

"If we just start attacking, that will hurt a lot of people. On both sides," Kristoff said.

"All we have to do is take Ansel out of power. We don't have to take out all his guards or ships. And no one's going to take his place--Ansel wants to run the whole show. Once we send the leader packing, everyone else will follow or switch sides. It shouldn't take an army to do that."

"Ansel rarely leaves the castle," Kristoff said. "He makes his rah-rah speeches from the gates every morning. That's about the only time anyone sees him."

"We can't wait for him to leave the castle. We'll have to go to him." Ariel slid the map of the castle between them all.

Debates exploded across the table. Subjects meandered from which wall was the weakest to the loss of Arendelle lives to attacks by land or sea to tactics like drawing an ambush or hammer & anvil.

Ariel sat back, letting them all blow off steam. She tuned them out and twirled her trident in her hand. Light gleamed off and on the points.

"Wait a minute," Ariel said. "I've got an idea. What if we make a three-pronged attack?" She scooted forward and rotated the Arendelle map to herself. "First, call together all the people we can. As many as we can. Tell them to gather on this side." She pointed to a promontory outside the west side of the castle.

"I gotcha. We'll create a mob," Flynn said. "Tell them to bring whatever weapons they have. Get Ansel to consume his resources on them."

"No, not a mob," Ariel said. "We're not arming a rebellion or a riot. This is a... a rally. A big hoopla. A party!" Ariel said, getting more excited as her ideas formed. "A big party in the streets. With loud music and food and dancing."

"Are you serious?" Flynn looked at her cockeyed.

Ariel nodded. "As big a party as you can. Biggest Arendelle's ever seen. I bet the city could use it, with everything that's happened. Ansel's soldiers won't know what to do if there's no fighting. And while they're watching..." She dragged her finger to the east side of the castle. "we assault from the other direction. With an obvious attack."

"Like what?" Kristoff asked. "If everyone's on the other side partying, who's left?"

"I believe I can help with that."

Pabbie toddled into the room. He approached the table. "My people are ready with whatever you need," he said.

"Grand Pabbie, are you sure? This is just Arendelle. This isn't your fight," Kristoff said.

"It became our fight when they came after you," he said. "We are family. To besiege one is to besiege us all."

Kristoff smiled from ear to ear, looking like he might cry.

Rapunzel perked up. "The trolls alone won't be enough. Kristoff, what about the snowgies? Do you think they're ready?"

With a laugh, Kristoff shrugged and said. "As ready as they'll ever be. We'll need more cake. But the town baker owes me some favors."

Ariel smiled. "The snowgies can attack from below while... while the trolls catapult into the upper castle." She turned to Pabbie. "You'll be your own weapons."

All the members of the table were smiling as well. It wasn't enough to have a plan. They needed the confidence to believe in it.

"That's only two prongs though," Flynn said. "What's the third?"

"The third is us," Ariel said. "We go through the middle, enter the castle, and take Ansel out however we can. He'll have the least protection while his soldiers are busy on both sides. And we know the castle better than him. We're going to start this war and finish it the same day."

"Yes!" Flynn stood up from the table. "Where's Anna? Let's go tell her."

Kristoff said, "The faster we can get this going, the quicker we can catch Ansel off guard."

Everyone scooted away from the table. Ariel allowed herself a moment of pride, watching her team march out. As she stood to follow them, Pabbie held out his hand.

"Wait, child," he said. "This third prong. Who do you plan to include in it?"

"Um..." Ariel hadn't firmly thought about who would breach the fortress, besides their small collective. "I don't know. Me and Rapunzel for sure... Anna, Kristoff, Flynn... maybe Olaf."

"Elsa must accompany you as well," Pabbie said.

"Elsa? But she's... something happened to her. She's not herself."

"She must come. If she doesn't, terrible things shall happen to Arendelle and those around her."

"You can see the future?"

Pabbie shrugged. "Others say I have the gift of prophecy. I say a lifetime of experience has sharpened my insight and logic." Ariel didn't doubt him--a lifetime for a rock troll had to span centuries. "But Elsa's heart grows colder by the moment. In this endeavor, you must all be together."

"Why? What happens if we don't?"

A cloudy image formed over Pabbie's head. "If you succeed, Elsa will retake rule over Arendelle. But as she is, she would be a cold undiscerning queen. Inhumane, without a care for people. You must make her see the light."

The silhouette in the clouds raised her hands. Lightning flashed. Hands reached up for her. She struck them all down with a wave of her arm.

Ariel stared, horrified. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"I don't know," Pabbie said. "But it will not happen locked in a cage."

* * *

Down the narrow corridor, the others had just finished explaining the plan to Olaf and Anna when Ariel approached.

"Everyone's so excited about your plan. This might really work," Anna said.

Ariel looked through the door's small window. Elsa slept on the block of ice against the wall of the crystal-blue room.

"So everyone's agreed on the plan?" Ariel asked.

"As long as I've got my trusty frying pan, I'm in," Rapunzel said.

"Am I on the team?" Anna asked.

"Yes. So is Kristoff--we'll rush the door with Sven--and Flynn and Rapunzel and myself. And Elsa."

"Elsa?" Everyone spoke at once. "Are you sure?" "She's psychotic. We can't take her." "Look at her, she's not in her right mind." "We need to cure her first."

"She's coming," Ariel said. "Besides she's the most powerful of us, this is her kingdom."

"She's not even awake yet" Kristoff looked into the room. "She's not-"

Elsa's pale white eyes stared into his.

"Jeez!" Kristoff staggered back, crashing into the wall.

She was standing upright, gazing at them.

"How long was she standing there?" Kristoff whispered.

"I want you to know..." Elsa began. Her voice was as flat and hushed as a winter wind. "that I could break out of here at any time."

The others looked terrified.

"This is my palace. This is my element. I could send it crumbling around your ears."

"Well... why haven't you?" Anna asked.

"I want to know why you haven't killed me yet."

Anna looked confused. "You're my sister. I'd never kill you."

"You should. It's what I would do."

Kristoff held an arm over Anna's shoulder protectively. "Elsa, stop this. We know this isn't you."

"But it is. It always was. Within me, lurking beneath the surface. Only now it has come out. And my magic is more powerful than it ever was, ever could be, now that my spirit is realized." She turned to Ariel. "When we first met, I tried to kill you. Do you doubt me?"

Ariel said nothing.

Elsa smirked again. "Perhaps that was a mistake I should rectify."

"Elsa," Rapunzel interrupted. "We know this isn't you. Whatever happened, we can help."

Elsa scowled. "Usurper. You think I don't know? You covet my throne like the others."

"That's not true," Rapunzel said.

Elsa smirked. "Isn't it? You have the audacity to imprison me here, in the fortress I built for myself. Don't you understand? Nothing will stand in my way. Not my friends. Not my sister. Do you think I wouldn't kill you all to get what I want?" She looked at Anna. "I stayed away from you for sixteen years. To the rest of you, my ties are tenuous. At best."

"What if we said we're going to get your castle back?" Ariel said. "That's what you want, right?"

Elsa ground her jaw. "You have my attention."

"You want to take down Ansel? Take back Arendelle? That's what we're doing. Whatever it takes. Throw down Ansel from power or prove he's not the true ruler. It'll be easier if we all work together. You have a better chance with us than alone."

"I am always alone," Elsa said. "It is not a choice."

"Well, you can choose now. If you promise to help, we'll make sure we get your castle back."

Elsa blinked. "As long as you're still useful, I will ally with you."

Ariel let out a breath.

"But make no mistake," Elsa said. "We are not entering this battle in banded company. Only as an alliance."

"Whatever you say." Ariel gestured for the key. Kristoff handed it off, then stepped back as the door opened.

Elsa's pale ice dress sparkled in the light. She gazed at them all with her mysterious eyes. "So when does it begin?"


	37. Castle Panic

"Is my outrage apparent? Is it getting through to you?" Ansel yelled. He paced back and forth in front of the crackling fireplace. His five top lieutenants sat on the couch, a comfortable place for getting chewed out.

"Sir, they knew the castle better than us. They've lived here all their lives," said Erlend, the eldest. He had handlebar mustache and bushy white eyebrows.

"That's no excuse, Erlend," Ansel snapped. "Two _girls_ snuck in and took our most valuable prisoner. If not for one slip-up they would have escaped without difficulty."

"We've had to staff the jail with our own men, who are spread thin as it is. We can't trust anyone from Arendelle. They won't help imprison their neighbors."

"The prison is the most important room in the castle," Ansel said. "Think of the information we've lost. And what they've gained."

"They were right in front of _you_ too, sir," said Officer Ingrid. "They were in the same room, serving your food, and _you_ didn't notice them."

Ansel clenched his fist, ready to slap his lieutenant. But stopped himself.

"I think we're missing the more important thing here," the youngest of them said. "The ice queen is back. And she wants the castle."

"Honestly, Lucia, she's not as much of a worry as you think." Ansel dismissed her argument with his hand. "I've been preparing for her return since day one. Plus, her behavior's become irrational. Maniacal, even."

"I'm not sure that's to our advantage," said Erlend. "If a mad dog fights a sane dog, it's the sane dog who gets its ear bitten off."

"A wise maxim. But allow me to counter with another--power corrupts. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. Humans weren't meant to have magic such as hers. I knew there would come a day where it would degrade her mind. Not to mention an individual can't contend with a well-trained army. But the resistance... they are many."

"And they could be gaining many more," Lucia said, "Maybe that's why they infiltrated the castle."

"Exactly my thoughts. This strike may mean they finally feel confident enough to engage us. At least in the cowardly way that terrorists do," Ansel said. "Which is why we need to find out who's helping them. No rebellion succeeds unto themselves. They need companions in the town. Those that can supply food, shelter, resources. Smugglers and sympathetic ears."

"I'm sure there's no shortage of them," Erlend said.

Ansel pounded one fist into his hand. "And thus we must bear down harder. Enact a curfew. Order our soldiers to patrol the streets day and night, so that our presence is known."

"We already have police monitoring the town."

"Double it," Ansel said. "And start demonstrations. Show them what happens when we are defied. Do you understand my meaning?"

The lieutenants nodded.

"If we need more soldiers, get them from Corona. Send them a message. Tell them it's a lot worse here than we thought. We'll need more than just navy. And close out the harbor. No one comes in and out without a thorough inspection."

"Are we looking for contraband or refugees?" Lucia asked.

"Both," Ansel answered. "We'll need to register everyone in town. Fetch the latest census and cross-reference it. I want to know the names and dwellings of everyone within the kingdom."

Lucia raised her hand. "Sir, this is a lot for the citizens to handle. I thought we wanted to make our integration unobtrusive. To get them used to the new regime."

"I'm not letting everything fall into disorder because of a handful of idealistic doves. We have to strike before they gain too much momentum to fail. I want action. Do you understand? If the resistance is not destroyed within a week, I will find others who can."

The lieutenants remained silent as the firelight danced in Ansel's eyes. In the awkward pause, discordant, muffled commotion rose up.

"Does anyone else hear that?" Lucia asked.

Ansel cocked his head to the side. Music? A gathering crowd?

"Sounds like it's coming from the west wing," Erlend said.

Ansel left the parlor and headed that direction. His lieutenants followed, not daring to move faster.

He climbed up the steps to the westmost tower. There stood a guard in a cabasset looked through the window with a telescope. He handed it to Ansel when he came up the spiral staircase.

"My god, they've started," Ansel said.

A large assemblage of people roamed around on the grassy bluff next to the water. To Ansel's eyes, it seemed half the kingdom. Many toted food, tables, musical instruments, as if they were planning to stay a while.

"They've been gathering over the past few hours, sir," the guard said.

Ansel handed back the telescope. "Well, call it in! Don't you know a riot when you see one?"

"But sir, it's... not a riot. None of them have weapons. No one's hurting anyone."

"Dunderheaded fool. How can you not notice the resistance's work? Do you think everyone in the village just _magically_ got together to celebrate _right in front of my castle_? It's a clear act of defiance."

"Even if that's so," said Erlend, "we can't make them disperse. What excuse do we give if they're not hurting anyone? What kind of demons would we look like then?" The lieutenants murmured agreement. "It would just add more wind to the resistance's sails," Erlend added.

Ansel folded his arms. "You're right. Let them have their fun. But send our military police to monitor. Take positions on all sides. But under no circumstances are they to attack anyone or provoke an attack."

"I'll send the order for our city foreman to pull troops from other posts and redirect them," said Erlend.

"Good... no, wait, no! That's what she wants us to do." He turned to the window. "Clever try, Elsa. But I'm smarter than you think."

"Sir?" Lucia asked.

"They _want_ us to divert our troops from the city. We send them all to one place and thin the herd elsewhere, letting them do... whatever it is they plan to do. Either a raid or surprise attack on our boats or an escape. Pull guards from the castle instead. Only use one quarter of the soldiers in the village. The rest should be from the palace. Make sure they know not to act, just _re_ act."

Erlend left to send out the order. Ansel did not take the telescope from his eyes for hours, not until his men arrived.

They filed in, taking positions around the encampment. Although they held spears and emblem-blazoned tower shields, they stayed relaxed. The citizens didn't appear to care about their presence, except an occasional boo.

"Come on Elsa, I'm waiting."

"Sir, we've been up here for hours. There are other duties to attend to," Lieutenant Viktor said.

"I'm anticipating an attack."

"Won't we be notified when it begins?"

"Hmph." Ansel gave the telescope back to his tower guard.

The lieutenants stepped aside to let Ansel pass down the stairs. Only in the hallway did the emptiness of the castle became noticeable. They never realized how many of the staff were guards. "Are you sure they know they are to be _explicit_ in announcing their presence as protection, not aggression?"

"I did, sir," Erlend said.

"But sir," Lucia said. "Won't they get unruly anyway? They'll gain courage by their numbers. Someone's going to throw a rock or get startled by mistake. And that's going to create a riot."

"I'm counting on it," Ansel said. "But I will tell them I gave orders not to strike unless provoked."

"But you're provoking them."

"It's still not my fault. They'll cause their own undoing. It's a surety. I tell you, I have little guilt doing this. But keep in mind this is an act of defiance. Meant to distract us from-"

There was a guttural thunderclap, as if lightning had struck the wall.

"What was that?" Lucia asked. "Explosion?"

"No smoke or fire."

Another reverberating growl. The dull echo came from the other side of the castle.

"If it was a siege, someone would ring the alarm," Viktor said.

"Maybe there's no one _to_ ring the alarm," Erlend said.

Ansel twisted his mouth. Palace guards were still stationed on all key watchtowers and entry points. Nonetheless, he was concerned enough to start heading toward the east wall.

* * *

The soldiers on the east parapet--those that hadn't been ordered down to the city--marched back and forth. Walking kept them awake and eyes sharp. However, they could have been sleeping and still heard the tremendous crash against the wall below.

By the time they reached the site, whatever had made the noise had gone. There was no smoking mark of a cannon ball or explosive powder. Just rocks and water below.

In the distance, they heard a sharp twang. A boulder flew out of the streets, streaking toward them like a meteor. It banged against the wall, peeled off and plummeted.

"Rocks?" a guard said.

"Must be the resistance," his partner said.

"Idiots. They'll never penetrate the castle that way."

"Still an attack. We've got to sound the alarm."

The first guard spent a moment untying the bugle from his belt. Another boulder launched, this one sailing right for them. They were about to step out of the way when the rock grew arms and legs.

"Banzai!" it yelled.

The guards froze in surprise. The boulder-man thrust his feet out, and they both careened over the parapet.

Suddenly, dozens of boulders sailed out from the village mass. Mid-flight they turned into little troll men in clothes of moss. Some passed into the castle. Some rolled onto the parapet.

One landed, rolled in a tight circle, and sprang upright in front of the second guard. He readied his spear.

"Hiyaaa!" The guard thrust forward, aiming for the monster's gut. The troll stood there as the metal tip glanced off, bending to a forty-five degree angle.

The guard examined it. He turned back to the troll.

It was slightly smiling, humming a little. Then gnashed its teeth and crooked its fingers. "Rawr!"

The second guard yipped and fell off the parapet, landing on top of the first guard. The troll jumped down with them, and motioned for his companions to follow.

By this time, the commotion had alerted soldiers on the other walls. They stopped when they saw the rocks flying. Some smacked against the upper wall and slid into the castle. One fell short and landed on the parapet. It spun in place and stood up, holding something behind its back.

The two pikemen raised their spears. "The trolls from the valley. It's an invasion."

"Don't let them through," the other called.

The troll brought out the thing behind his back. It was a cake, with pink frosting.

"What th'?"

"Happy birthday," the troll said.

The guards stood confused. The troll tossed the cake at them--a friendly lob as if handing it off to hold. The guard caught it with both hands, dropping his spear. Before they could ask what was going on, the troll scampered away.

"What is-"

Tiny snowmen, no more than a foot high, climbed over the top of the wall. There seemed to be no end to them. They poured in like rats escaping a flood--and jumped on the guard with the cake.

"Aiyee!" The cake flew from his hand. Half landed on the guard beside him.

"Uh-oh."

That was all he got out before the little snowmen scaled him too.

* * *

At the east wing's outer wall, Ansel set eyes on the second floor parapet, preparing to ascend. A boulder crashed through the first floor window. Stained glass rained like confetti.

The boulder rolled another foot, then stopped dead.

"Come on, guys. More cake in here!" the troll said.

Dozens of little snowmen gushed through the open window like popped corn. They spread out, looking awestruck with their beady eyes and goofy smiles

"The snow queen," Erlend gasped in a whisper.

The snowmen scurried over tables, knocked over armor, chewed on rugs, whatever mayhem they could cause. Ansel was speechless.

"We don't have enough men for this," Lucia shouted.

Erlend turned back to Ansel. "Sir, I suggest we fall back to the throne room."

"Yes... yes, I agree." Ansel regained himself. "We prepared for this. The instruments we need are there. To defeat the snow queen."

"Aye, sir," Erlend said. "Take formation."

He drew out his rapier, followed in unison by the others. Ansel's defenders formed a diamond around him. Erlend grabbed the signal horn off one of the fallen guards and put it to his lips. An echoing blast filled the castle.

* * *

"That's our cue," Anna said. If the town square wasn't so empty, they might not have heard it. But here, facing the straightest, most direct route to the castle, it was quite clear.

"Everybody ready?" Kristoff jostled the reins. Elsa, Anna, and Flynn nodded solemnly (with Olaf squeezed in-between their legs). In the front seat, Ariel leveled her trident. Rapunzel held her frying pan to her chest, ready to swing.

"Hit it!" Rapunzel called.

Kristoff whipped the reins. "Yahh!"

Sven launched forward, straining against the harness. The heavy sled dragged forward, building momentum. Once the reindeer had his grip, Elsa stood up in the sleigh. She aimed her hand at the road.

A spray of ice emitted, coating the cobblestones before them. The smooth, slick path eased Sven's burden and soon they were driving like an avalanche.

"All right, Elsa!" Anna said. "This is the best sled course yet, eh?"

Elsa ignored her.

"There they are!" someone shouted.

Elsa whipped her head around. Patrols were racing horses behind them, readying crossbows.

"Fools. Don't they know the power they're dealing with?"

With her other hand, Elsa flicked her wrist. A barricade of blue icicles sprang up between them and their pursuers. One barely managed to turn his horse before being impaled.

"Almost to the bridge," Kristoff called out over Sven's hoof beats.

The gates wrenched off their hinges hadn't been repaired, but new guards stood watch in the gatehouse. Those in the towers had already begun loosing arrows. In the back, Anna, Olaf, and Flynn ducked under a blanket. The arrows landed short, embedding in the ice path, and snapped off as the sleigh ran over them.

Ariel aimed her trident. The weapon hummed with energy, then shot a bright beam at the base of one guard tower. The rock crumbled like a sand castle meeting the tide.

Men in the tower shouted as the soldiers underneath scrambled out of the way. Arrows from the second tower narrowly struck Sven's hoof. He whinnied, but kept pace. They dashed under the first tower as it crashed against the second.

Soldiers manning the walkway to the castle saw the sled was not stopping, thanks to the inertia of the ice. Several scattered away. Ones that didn't, Ariel shot at their feet. The resounding blast propelled them into the air in different directions, but out of their way.

But there still remained soldiers holding swords and shields, ready to cut them down as they passed. Two were ready to skewer Sven with their partisans. Ariel took them out their weapons, then ducked as Rapunzel stood up.

"Batter up," she said. The impact of cast iron against sterling brass made an ear-shattering clang.

Behind them, the guards made a half-hearted effort to stand up. The sled was moving too fast to catch them now. Kristoff grinned at the tall double doors ahead.

"Okay, Elsa, slow us down," Kristoff said.

Nothing happened. The steady stream of ice magic continued smoothing out the road.

"Elsa! Stop with the ice," Kristoff said. "Slow down!"

"No," she said.

"Elsa, we need to stop!" Anna said. Elsa ignored her. Kristoff yanked back the reins but it was no use.

The front of the sleigh bumped against Sven's tail. He frantically galloped forward, lest the unstoppable sled crush him. The twin doors loomed closer.

"Elsa! No!" Kristoff closed his eyes and shirked away.

Elsa snapped her wrist. A small ramp grew at the edge of the ice road. The sled launched into the air. Sven bellowed at the sensation of weightlessness. The sleigh began to twist in midair.

At the last second, Ariel blasted her trident. The doors glowed and bowed in just before they made impact.

Splinters of door flew everywhere. The airborne sleigh barrel-rolled, twisting Sven's reins. It bounced once before landing on its side, still sliding across the hall floor, then slammed against the upper floor pavilion upside-down.

Kristoff crawled out. "Buddy? Are you all right?"

He held the reindeer's muzzle in his gloved hands while the others struggled out. Sven's eyes rolled asynchronously. But he was breathing.

"Is he okay?" Anna asked.

Kristoff stood tall in front of Elsa. He slammed his knit cap on the floor. "What the hell was that?"

"It was necessary," Elsa said.

"No, it wasn't. You could have killed him. You could have killed us."

"It's just an animal," Elsa said.

"Just an animal?" Kristoff started forward, as if he were about to fight.

Anna jumped between them. "Guys, we're all okay. No one's hurt."

"We'll talk about it after we overthrow the government," Rapunzel said. The six of them stood together. "We've got a mission and no time to waste."

Elsa said in a low tone, "Six of us against a castle full of guards. Do you think we're all getting out of this alive?"

Rapunzel gave her a look, but said nothing.

Anna pulled at Kristoff's shoulder. "We have to go."

"No, I'm not leaving him."

"I can stay with him!" Olaf shouted. "We'll have lots of fun. We can play cards. And I'll keep him safe."

Anna took Kristoff by the hand and pulled him away.

Rapunzel and Ariel took the lead, heading into the center hall. Flynn and Anna took the middle. They paused at each junction to look for patrols.

The castle was nearly empty. Halfway through and they'd been able to avoid everyone. Rapunzel dashed around corners while Ariel covered her with the trident.

"Look!" Rapunzel pointed.

Someone was sprinting away through one of the castle's arches. Even in the brief glimpse, she knew Ansel's blue uniform and distinctive shoulder pads.

"There he is!" Anna shouted. She started to run after him.

Ariel barred her with her arm. "No. We can cut him off through the servant's quarters."

She turned a right angle and ran parallel to Ansel's path.

"Where's he going? He's heading further into the castle," Flynn said.

"I bet he's heading to the throne room. It's the innermost room, the heart of the palace," Ariel said.

"Why? That's no place to make a stand--he'd be trapped there," Rapunzel said.

"Unless he knows something we don't," Kristoff said.

Ariel shrugged. "Either way, we need to stop him before he gets there."

They flew through the empty service rooms and bounded into the castle's main hallway. Though wide enough for a carriage to plow through, it appeared to be empty.

"Behind you!" Anna shouted.

Two guards were heading toward them. Ariel dropped to one knee and fired at the furthest guard. He flew back against the wall, armor clanking.

The other reached for his sword as he ran. Rapunzel stutter-stepped and bashed him in the head. His helmet spun with an echoing clang. The guard stumbled as if he'd lost his footing, then fell unconscious.

Anna pointed her finger. Everyone turned.

Ansel careened around a corner, then halted. His five lieutenants also skidded to a stop.

"So here we are." Ansel scowled.

"Ansel. This is your last chance," Rapunzel said.

"You have a lot of confidence. Me and my most elite against... whoever you managed to scrape from the gutter."

"Hey, I'm technically a prince now." Flynn pointed to himself with his dagger.

Ansel withdrew his sword. "It's time to end this."

"Ansel of Corona." Elsa pushed ahead of everyone. "You have no power that can compare to mine. And this time there will be no forgiveness for you. Only escape. Either through exile or death. Take heed-"

A ping sounded in the corridor as Elsa's head knocked back. A small trickle of blood ran down her head.

The smallest female soldier held out a slingshot, sling dangling, eyes still on her target.

Elsa staggered to the side. She caught herself, then her eyes rolled up and she fell over, unconscious.

"Ariel, look out!"

One of the officers, an old man with a handlebar mustache, unleashed a whip. It coiled around the trident. He yanked it out of her hands so hard it flew to the ceiling and landed between them. The man dragged it closer.

Ariel ran for it.

Ansel's soldiers ran for her.

Both sides rushed towards each other.

Ariel dove to the carpet, but missed by her fingertips.

Flynn rolled forward. He grabbed the whip and readied to slice it with his dagger. But another soldier kicked him in the face, knocking him away.

"Good one, Lucia. Morten, protect Erlend. Ingrid and Viktor, to the fray."

Flynn rubbed his jaw as he glared at Lucia. Lucia withdrew her sword. The two of them clashed chest to chest, their blades vibrating with tension. Lucia pushed him off and swiped at his head. Flynn ducked. They engaged in a fencing duel--sword versus dagger.

"Get away from him!" Rapunzel ran forward, frying pan held high. She was suddenly yanked back.

Morten held a mittful of blond hair wrapped around his fingers, a sadistic grin on his face.

"Hey, bad form," Flynn said, glancing over while holding his dagger defensively.

Rapunzel got on hands and knees to stand up. Morten yanked again, then laughed at her humiliation.

Rapunzel glowered. She heaved her head forward. What Morten didn't know was how strong her neck muscles were from carrying ten pounds of hair for twenty years. His barrel body carried his momentum toward her.

As Rapunzel stood up, she clocked him under the chin. He shook it off, then withdrew his own military issue saber.

Rapunzel backed up to Flynn, parrying and thrusting with her pan.

"The couple that fights together..." Flynn said.

"Stays alive together?" Rapunzel replied.

With the gap that opened up in the fray, Anna ran to her sister and collapsed by her side. She wiped the blood off her face. "Elsa? Elsa, wake up. We could use your help right now. Psycho or not."

Anna's head darted back and forth, looking out for anyone coming her way. She held her hand to her trembling mouth, silently praying for her friends.

Ariel engaged in a tug-of-war with Erlend for the trident. She held the end with the three tines. It allowed a superior grip, but she had to be careful not to stab herself with her own weapon. Nor could she shoot it.

"What is this thing? Why do you desire it so?" Erlend asked.

Ariel wrenched as hard as she could. He was just trying to distract her, to throw her off balance. She wouldn't allow it.

"Why does a girl as slight as you use this weapon? You'd be better off with a bow or a short sword."

Through gritted teeth, she uttered, "When you rule the ocean, you can use whatever weapon you _want_."

She punctuated the last word with a sharp torque. The trident flew out of both their hands and clattered against the wall. They both sprang for it, but Kristoff crossed in front of them. He was retreating from Ingrid and Viktor.

"Two against one. Not fair!" Kristoff said.

He backed into a suit of armor, collapsing it and himself to the floor. Kristoff threw the disassembled pieces of costume at them.

Viktor and Ingrid snickered. They drew forward, swords pointed at Kristoff.

Ariel turned back to Erlend. He was going for the trident. She had a split second decision to make. And she made it.

She picked up the thrown helmet and jammed it backwards onto Ingrid's head. Ariel pulled out her legs. Ingrid crashed to the floor, knocking herself out with the helmet impact.

Viktor turned and swung. Ariel leaned and rolled onto her back. The sword sliced horizontally into open air.

Ariel kicked her powerful legs into his gut. Leather armor or not, the wind was knocked out of him. He staggered back and fell on Kristoff.

Kristoff wrapped his meaty arm around Viktor's neck and locked it with the other. Viktor gurgled, his tongue hanging out, as the sleeper hold took effect. In a few seconds, he fell limp as a noodle.

"Whoa," Ariel said.

"I grew up with boulders for siblings. I learned a few tricks." Kristoff pointed behind her. "Watch out!"

Erlend held up the trident. "So let's see how this works, hm?" The trident began to hum.

Though only the king of the seas could use its full power, anyone could shoot lightning. Ariel flashed back to all the times others had used the trident or tried to steal it.

She squinched her eyes shut and prepared for the hit. As the hum reached crescendo, she had one last ironic thought: now she'd know what being blasted felt like.

"Er-erg-erg-erg-erg-erg-erg-erg..." Erlend vibrated as tendrils of golden electricity danced over his body. He stiffened, unable to release the trident.

The power stopped. Erlend fell into a heap. The trident clattered on the ground.

Ariel snatched it up before anyone else had a chance to. "Thanks, Daddy," she whispered.

Ansel skirted around the slicing swords, heading towards the door. Everyone was too engaged in battle to notice what he was up to. Everyone except Anna, who stood up as he sprinted past.

"Hey," she shouted.

Elsa stirred. "Ow... what happened?" She gritted her teeth. "That troll knocked me out again."

"No, it was one of Ansel's soldiers. He-"

"Ansel," she murmured. She stood as if she had never fallen. "Where is he? Where did..."

"He went that way." Anna pointed to the door, where a leg just vanished from the frame.

Elsa growled. "No. You will not get away, Ansel. Not EVER."

All the warmth in the air disappeared, sucked out. A thick white frost spread from the point where Elsa's feet touched the floor, spreading wall-to-wall. The castle walls blanched.

"What is-?" Morten asked.

The ice grew like vines, coating the hall from top to bottom. It crackled as it sprawled under Morten's boots. He tried to step away, but they became stuck fast. The same thing happened to Flynn. Lucia stumbled back and tripped.

The sounds of clashing swords died away. "What's happening?" Kristoff said.

Ingrid lay on her back like a turtle, held by her helmet and tunic. Rapunzel stayed bent at an awkward angle, her hair glued to the ground.

"This is the ice queen's doing," Lucia said. "She's taking back her castle."

"I can't... I can't get myself free," Flynn said. He couldn't even untie his shoelaces. "Elsa? Elsa!"

She was gone.

"Ariel, can you use the trident?" Rapunzel asked, forced to lean back and look at the ceiling.

Though in an awkward position, Ariel jabbed the tines into the ice chunks around her feet. "I don't have much choice."


	38. Shatter Me

A trail of white crystals followed Elsa. Opal icicles rose out of her footsteps like stalagmites. She had lost sight of Ansel, but she knew this castle intimately. There was not an alcove he could hide in, that she wouldn't find.

The path took her to the throne room doors. She could have taken the side entrance at the back wall. It existed so nobility didn't have to tread the same carpet as commoners. But she was no longer nobility. She was more.

She kicked in the door. Ansel was standing in front of the throne, adjusting his leather jerkin.

"This is not your throne," Elsa said. She stamped her foot.

Her power spread across the floor, covering the walls with rough serrated ice. It formed too fast to freeze smoothly.

Everything turned white. Red carpet turned to blue. The vases and waving tapestries solidified. Stone walls became purple with dazzling fractal patterns. The ice spread under Ansel's feet and congregated at the throne. Its back grew tall and hexagonal, with jagged shards projecting out the top.

"I see you've made this place your own," Ansel said.

"It always was my own," Elsa said. "You are no ruler of Arendelle."

"Maybe not, but I wasn't unwelcome. You abandoned Arendelle," Ansel countered. "Twice. Each time before you plunged it into wintertide. If not for me, you would have single-handedly destroyed the kingdom. Your own people are afraid of you."

"It is not for them to decide. Arendelle needs its queen."

"Even if some people don't want me, they certainly don't want you. They think you're a monster. Don't try and deny it."

Elsa smiled. "Oh, but I am a monster. I am sorceress the likes of which have never been seen. The energy I yield is ungraspable, unimaginable, and I am its sole gatekeeper. I am as beautiful and terrible as the ocean. As treacherous as the mountain. Stronger than the will of man."

She held up her arm. Ice magic swirled around her hand, coating it with blue ice. Thick spikes with razor points extended from her fingers.

"If you truly believe you are a monster, then die as one!" Ansel shouted.

He lunged forward with his broadsword held in an overhead strike.

Elsa raised her claw arm and knocked it away. He sliced diagonally. She jabbed forward, cutting the loops in his leather armor. He stepped back and thrust forward. She side-stepped.

They began a dance of glancing blows and clanging metal. Though her focus was inhuman, she only managed to make a few nicks in his flesh.

Ansel aimed the sword at her shoulder. Elsa caught the blade in her iced hand. She glared at him. Ansel twisted his sword, only chipping off flakes of ice. Elsa shoved him back. He staggered against the wall.

"I have broken swords stronger than yours with my magic," Elsa said. She started forward.

"I am not yet broken, cold-hearted witch."

Elsa raised her eyebrows. "Cold-hearted? Do you know that phrase's true meaning?"

She raised her hands above her head, summoning a swirl of white ice particles.

"It means to suffer undue torture as your hair turns white, your muscles ache. You cannot move or speak without turning numb and slow. And finally your body betrays you. It freezes into solid unbreakable ice. Forever. I know this because I did it to my own sister."

Ansel hissed. "You are a monster."

"And you will know what it is to have a frozen heart!" She thrust forward. Jagged shards of pure white anger flew forward. Ansel shielded his eyes.

Nothing had happened.

"What?" Elsa growled. Ansel stood laughing.

"Foolish child. Do you think I go unprepared?" He yanked his collar down. Underneath his leather armor was a chest plate of slate gray metal.

"Pyramite," Elsa whispered.

"I made my fortune because I prepared for every possible scenario before my opponent," Ansel said. "I figured out how to exploit every weakness, no matter the cost. So when I found out Corona had a substance incapable of freezing, I bought the whole stock."

Elsa stabbed her iced hand. His armor may have been frost proof but it wasn't unpiercable. The spikes on her knuckles shattered, tinkling to the floor.

Ansel backhanded her. She fell across the throne. Her lip dribbled warmth as Ansel laughed.

Elsa flicked out her wrist. A razor-sharp icicle formed over her head. She sent it sailing. Before it covered half the distance, the icicle diminished to half its size. By the time it crossed the room, it became a collection of droplets.

"I will not let you take over my kingdom," Elsa said, gasping for air.

"I'm not sure you have much choice." Ansel approached. "If you want to surrender it to me, we can make this much easier-"

Elsa's pale blue eyes stabbed into his. "NEVER!"

She leapt forward, hands raised. Ansel stepped back, startled. She jumped on him, wrapping her legs. Her flesh hissed and steamed each time she touched the pyramite, making her scream. But she crawled up and took hold of his neck.

"No pyramite here," she whispered into his ear.

Ansel flailed, but failed to grab her. He backed up and slammed her against the wall. She grunted, but didn't lose grip. He tried again. After the second time, he couldn't catch his breath. She wasn't choking him--her hands weren't squeezing tight enough--but he couldn't breathe.

"In case you're wondering, I'm freezing your breath before it can get into your lungs," she said. "Should be more effective than strangulation."

Ansel's eyes popped out of his head. He gagged and drooled as his hands gnarled, failing to pry away her tiny fingers. It was as if she'd frozen them to his flesh. His throat felt the width of a twig.

"Elsa, stop!"

Ariel stood in the doorway, holding her trident.

"Let him go. For god's sake, Elsa!" she said.

Elsa glowered at her. "If I don't, will you blast me?"

"I will if I have to," Ariel said. "Don't kill him, please."

"The scum deserves to die."

"But you're more compassionate than that. I know you. Please, Elsa, I don't want to have to shoot you."

"And you won't." Elsa shifted her piercing gaze above Ariel's head.

Ariel looked up. A gigantic icicle hung above her, connected to the ceiling by a trembling thread of ice. Without Elsa's will, it would crush her. She could never move out of the way fast enough.

Elsa said "Now you turn around and go tell the people that their queen has retaken the throne. Tell all those disloyal to the crown that-AGGH"

Suddenly, yellow cloth wrapped around her eyes. No, not cloth. Hair.

" _Flower-gleam-and-glow-let-your-power-shine_ ," Rapunzel sang as loud and strong as ever.

Whether from the intensity of her desire or her voice, the hair blazed bright as the sun. Elsa screamed as the light penetrated her eyelids.

She dropped off Ansel and clutched at the wrap. But it was too tight, too many fibers to pull away. The warmth and heat made her head swim.

Rapunzel yanked the swath of hair away. Elsa dropped to her knees, palms to her eyeballs as if keeping them from falling out.

Ariel grabbed Ansel by his shoulders and threw him into the hallway. Rapunzel followed them out of the throne room.

"Lock it! Lock it!" Ariel said.

Rapunzel pulled the doors shut and locked it with the key Anna had given her. Ariel grabbed a small table and slid its legs through the door handles.

"I hope that does it," Ariel said. She wiped her brow.

"Just until we can get back to her," Rapunzel said.

Ansel was kneeling on the ground, coughing and massaging his throat.

Ariel yanked him upright. She thrust the trident up to his chin. He had to lift his neck to avoid being punctured.

"You," Rapunzel said, pointing her frying pan at him, "are so fired."

* * *

Rapunzel entered the grand hall toting Ansel on a rope, like a zookeeper with an escaped gorilla. Ariel marched in back, trident poised and ready for trouble.

Anna and Kristoff stood near the doors, where they had agreed to wait. Kristoff grinned and clapped his gloved hands.

"We got him," Rapunzel replied.

"Hm, someone trying to weasel his way onto the throne being led out of the palace in handcuffs. Why does this look so familiar?" Kristoff mocked.

"Did you find Elsa?" Anna asked.

"We did," Ariel said. "She's in the throne room still. She went..." Ariel paused to think of the right words.

"She got a little intense," Rapunzel finished. "She just needs time to cool off. Or heat up. Whichever."

Anna looked a little surprised, but not upset.

Ariel leaned into Rapunzel's ear. "She's not blinded, is she?"

"No, it'll fade," she whispered back.

Flynn slipped in through the doors. "There's a mob at the gates. Looks like the whole town is there."

"They must have come running once they heard about the battle," Kristoff said. "Are they angry?"

"I don't know. Once word spread that we'd broken through, the guards stopped guarding, the soldiers left their posts. I think everyone's waiting to see who won."

"Well, let's show them," Anna grinned.

She led the way, strutting across the carpet. Rapunzel and Ariel dragged the Ansel behind. Flynn and Kristoff gleefully opened the doors for them.

Applause rose to a clamor as Anna appeared. Even louder once Rapunzel showed up with prisoner in tow.

Anna approached the podium once used for Ansel's rousing propaganda speeches. Many minutes passed before it was quiet enough.

"Citizens, the true rulers of Arendelle have returned."

More applause. It took as long for them to return to silence.

"We have driven out Lord Protector Ansel and his private counsel. He came here in a time of need under the pretense of safety, but that time has passed. So thank you, Princess Rapunzel..." Anna half-turned to address her cousin, "for the gift of your navy and its commander. But I don't think we'll be needing it anymore."

The crowd's chorus indicated they wanted Rapunzel to take the stand. Anna stepped aside, grinning. Rapunzel wasn't ready for this.

"Anna, you're welcome," Rapunzel said. "I'll be pleased to take him back to Corona and deal with him there. And with the royal family back in control, I'm looking forward to seeing the kingdom back to normal."

Amid the crowd's white noise, someone yelled "Rapunzel, Queen of Arendelle!"

That catalyzed the biggest reaction of all. The crowd whooped and hollered like a multi-headed beast with one brain. Noise rose into such upsurge, no one on stage could hear themselves.

Rapunzel looked to Anna. She had no reaction, except a slight smile. Maybe she was resigned, even pleased. She glanced at Rapunzel and gave a slight shrug, as if to say "it's your choice"

And this was the time to make it. There had been enough time to consider and the people demanded an answer. The queen was questionably fit for office. The princess was abdicating the throne. And the placeholder regime had been toppled. It was a nexus of change, and everyone, even their friends, wanted to know what was next. Rapunzel leaned into the podium.

* * *

Elsa stirred. Had she lost consciousness? Did the bright light shock her into swooning? It was so hard to tell with her head full of mashed thoughts. She knew she hadn't been out long. Not more than a few minutes.

When she opened her eyes, the blue of the throne room returned to her. But no one was there. Elsa struggled to her feet and tried the door. It didn't budge.

Locked? They locked her in her own throne room? Why? She had Ansel on his knees. And they took her victory from her. Why? They wanted it for themselves?

Of course they did. They wanted the whole kingdom for themselves. The credit, the glory. The people's love. The love she could never get.

All of them usurpers. They wanted her locked away again. Like she had been her whole life. To suppress her magnificence and terror. No longer. Not ever again. She grabbed both door handles.

The cold channeled down her arms to her fingers. Frost caked the knobs. The brass squeaked in pain. She sharply twisted each knob.

Inside, pieces of the locking apparatus shattered. She broke the metal handle off with a clink and the doors yielded.

No one outside the hall. She headed up the stairs towards the main doors. The castle was as empty as when she entered. If anyone crossed her path she would have frozen them to their soul, but no one did.

No one in the main hall either. But through the door, the crowd chanted. "Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Rapun-zel!"

So it was her. All because the people loved her better. Better than Anna. Better than their own queen. The queen who had spent all her life preparing to serve them, even with the impairment of her curse.

Elsa pressed her eye to the door. The blonde was about to make her acceptance speech. And a perfect time too, in the cusp of upheaval. Some cousin. She should have seen the signs from the beginning. Elsa formed a long, smooth icicle in her hand, contoured to the shape of a dagger.

The chanting continued. Rapunzel held up her hands. "Stop. Stop. Stop, please," she announced. The crowd quieted. Here would be her decision. Her "crowning moment"

"I love you all very much," Rapunzel said. "I love Arendelle. It's like my sister country. I've formed bonds here that go beyond family. But I cannot be your queen. It's true that I want to. I want to live here. I love spending time with my cousins. I love being with you all. But this is not my kingdom to rule. It belongs to them."

Rapunzel hadn't even known what she would say before she said it. She had fought for the kingdom. She had earned the right to be its queen. But it took the spontaneous act of speaking to realize what was in her heart. As much as she might want the job, and as good as she was at it, it wasn't hers to take.

The crowd responded with mild, dignified applause--a mix of disappointment and dignity. Rapunzel stepped back from the podium and took a deep breath. Her eyes watered. She looked back at Flynn, who gave her his signature cocky grin and a thumbs up. Kristoff nodded and clapped his mittens. She turned to Anna, who hugged her about the shoulders.

They turned to the sound of a squeaking cry. Behind them, Elsa dropped to her knees in the doorway. In her hand was a long icicle, the perfect shape to stab a person. She let it roll out, where it melted.

"Elsa?" Anna said.

Elsa's eyes dilated. Her chest heaved up and down as the sobs took hold. The arctic eyes with pinprick dots transformed with the rolling tears. Her normal blue eyes with wide pupils returned, as did the lighter violet highlights. Her hair color softened to its ivory hue. And her dress's accoutrements fizzled into white mist.

Anna kneeled before her. Rapunzel followed, doing the same. "Elsa?" she asked. "Are you...?"

"I'm sorry," Elsa said. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so..."

Anna and Rapunzel embraced her. Elsa bawled, letting all her rage and sadness go. Chunks of the ice around her heart melted, causing such an overflow.

Ariel handed Ansel off to a loyal guard. She dropped her trident and joined the hug from behind. Flynn and Kristoff followed too.

"Hey, what are you guys doing without me?" Olaf toddled onto the stage. "I talk about warm hugs over and over, and the one time..."

Rapunzel, as teary-eyed as Elsa, reached out her arm with a come-here motion. The snowman pressed himself in. No one even felt his cold skin. The warmth from their family reunited overcame all.


	39. What You Did In the Dark

The restoration of Arendelle's proper regime would take days. But the first priority was dismantling the resistance, which offered resources they could use. Plus all the men and women involved were eager to get the kingdom back on its feet. It was what they had worked for, after all.

That meant many trips back and forth between the ice palace and the castle. Thankfully, they didn't have to use the secret tunnels anymore. Thanks to Sven, the ice harvesters, and many other volunteers, plenty of vehicles were available to take them up and down the mountain.

The first room they cleared out was the command center. And this was purely Elsa's request. The maps, books, and weapons were no use to citizens who needed food, clothing, and reassurance that Arendelle was no longer under martial law. But Elsa insisted and Elsa was queen. Once the room cleared, Elsa sat upon her throne. And had been there ever since.

But the door was not locked. Elsa and Ariel pulled open the door and peeked in. She was sitting, propping up her chin with her fist.

"Elsa?" Rapunzel said. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," she said.

Ariel and Rapunzel approached the throne. "What are you doing?"

"Just thinking."

Ariel grimaced. Why did she need to spend so much time alone? And what was there to think about? There was so much to do now that Arendelle was free.

"You've been thinking a while," Ariel said. "Why are you here? You helping out at the beginning. Then Anna told me that you went in here."

Specifically, Anna had said that "She does this sometimes. She says she wants to be alone, but she really doesn't. I have to go in and pull her out of her funk."

"I know," Elsa said. "I was going to help more, but... I was afraid they'd ask me to use my ice powers. And I didn't want to. Not yet. I don't... I don't think that would be appropriate."

"Elsa, we forgive you. We already said that. You weren't your right self. But you're back now," Rapunzel said.

"But for how long? The same things keep happening. Winter keeps coming back, because of me. I can't seem to use my powers without people getting hurt. I keep losing control. And men keep using that as a chance to seize power."

"There's always people like that," Rapunzel said. "And you're not crazy. If anything, you _should_ be crazy after everything we've gone through. Ancient sorcerers and bandits and gypsies and pirates. We literally became mermaids and lived under the sea. And we just ended a war we accidentally started. I think you're allowed to be a little bit crazy."

Elsa made a slight smile. "But still, I keep alienating people."

"We're still here. We came in without being asked," Ariel said.

"Everyone else then," Elsa said, her tone rising. "The whole kingdom. How can I be queen if the same things are going to keep happening?"

Rapunzel pointed at her. "You didn't cause this winter. Arcius did."

"Arcius wouldn't have caused it if I wasn't here. Just my presence causes trouble."

"Is that why you never tore down this ice castle?" Ariel asked. "I mean, it was good for us. But there didn't seem to be a reason after you opened the gates."

Elsa nodded. "I kept it in case I needed somewhere to escape to. If things went wrong for me again, like they did on coronation day. But all I did was trade one prison for another. As long as I'm alive, Arendelle is doomed."

"Elsa," Rapunzel said. "You say you keep alienating people. Then why are they all helping return you to your castle? Why are they excited to have you back? Not me, not Anna--you. They're not doing it because they expect it, or because they're your friends. They want you to be queen."

Ariel said "As long as you recognize that you're making mistakes, you can fix them. You can learn from them. It's the people who don't believe they're doing anything wrong that can't be helped."

"People like Arcius," Rapunzel added.

Elsa paused. "I guess so. But we haven't seen anything of him so far."

"He's not going to stop, no matter what," Ariel said. "It's only a matter of time until he finds us again. Or finds someone else to give him the power he needs."

"Which is why we came in. Pabbie and the trolls have been talking about the grain of time, seeing if anyone knows how to deal with it."

Elsa stood up, her dress swishing around her ankles. "Then let us go," a few seconds passed, "and see what he knows."

Rapunzel furrowed her brows. That was weird.

The three of them exited the throne room. Kristoff, Flynn, and Pabbie were standing by the frozen fountain in the main entrance hall.

Flynn said, "Queen Elsa. Don't you have any snow-heralds to announce your presence?"

Elsa smiled. "There's no need for formalities like that here." She frowned at Kristoff. "When did you get a beard?"

Kristoff looked confused. "I've always had a beard. Keeps my chin warm." He brushed at the yellow fuzz. Elsa shrugged it off.

"Pabbie, did you find out anything?" Rapunzel asked.

"I believe so, child. I am old, but there are many antiquities of the Earth more ancient than me. Still, based on what you told me, there may be a way to defeat your sorcerer."

"Really?" Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Then can we destroy the grain of time?"

"Ehhh," Pabbie wavered. "We're talking about an relic that existed before anything existed. Nevertheless, it can be sapped of energy."

"That's why Arcius wants us. Is there a way to..." Ariel paused. She stared blankly at Pabbie for several seconds, as if finding the right words. "Know how much he has left?"

"I'm afraid not. Even so, there is a basic principle that any action can be foiled by its opposite. The way to conquer your fear was with love," Pabbie said to Elsa. "Each of your powers originated in divine magicks. Perhaps as old as the Earth. The sun drop," he said to Rapunzel. "An ancient curse," to Elsa. "And the might of the sea god," to Ariel.

"So there's a way to counter his magic?" Rapunzel asked.

"Maybe," Pabbie said.

"What about the morimema? Any way you can use that?" Ariel asked.

Pabbie brought out the sapphire eighteen-pointed crystal.

"The mor... the whaty-whata?" Flynn asked.

"I saved it from Lowther's castle. It's the thing that stopped anyone from knowing where he was."

"It is ancient, but I know this kind of power," Pabbie said. "Right now, it has no focus, hence the color change. But whatever that focus is, the crystal renders memories of it unable to form."

"So it's like being invisible?" Flynn asked, eyes sparkling.

"Not invisible, but unable to be recognized. It could be standing right in front of you and you couldn't perceive it. No memories would set in the mind. Like how water cannot be absorbed by a rock."

"And it affects everyone. Worldwide. It might be the most powerful magic we have right now. At least for stopping Arcius," Ariel said.

"You may be right, child. But I haven't convinced myself of a way to use it. Arcius's magic is more powerful than anyone's. It's no doubt he can see through this illusion."

"Oh... right." Ariel's eyes dropped. "If he was able to send that message to Lowther, it won't affect him."

"How are we supposed to defeat him if he has no limits. We might as well be trying to stop a god," Elsa said.

"Arcius, for all his power, is still a human. And you were able to defeat one of the sorcerers using only your talents."

"I think I know what Pabbie is saying," Rapunzel said. "Maybe we can get him to believe that we're there to help? Even if it's just to get close to the grain?"

Everyone looked at her strangely.

"What?"

"You stopped," Ariel said. "Just now."

"Like, you paused in the middle of a word," Flynn said.

"No, I didn't," Rapunzel said.

"Yes, you did," Flynn said. "You said 'Maybe we can get...' and then you stopped moving for like five seconds."

"Something weird's going on," Rapunzel said. "I thought I saw Elsa do the same thing."

"I knew it. Kristoff doesn't have a beard," Elsa said. "He never had one. And Anna hates facial hair. She says it tickles her."

Pabbie glanced between all of them. "Girls, hold each other's hands."

Ariel, Rapunzel, and Elsa did so, looking at each other nervously.

"Pabbie, what are they talking about?" Kristoff asked. "Who's Anna?"

Elsa's eyes widened.

"Calm down," Pabbie said. "I think... what's happening... is..."

Pabbie's voice deepened like a gramophone unwound. He closed his eyes very slowly, then opened them again. A blink.

Then all time stopped. The room was still. Not like the calm of winter--even frozen air still moved. This was static. Lifeless. Like a desert, but without color.

"Elsa," Ariel whispered, gripping her hand tightly. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Elsa whispered back. "But don't let go."

Suddenly, the world around them dropped out. The ice palace deliquesced like a melting painting. Azure blended into nothingness. The floor disintegrated like paper, until they stood in a black void.

The sensation of falling gripped them. They screamed and lost each other's hands. Terrified, they tumbled into nothingness. The blackness became a mix of orange and teal. Giant bright globules passed by like bubbles.

In each of them, they could see still images--a beach, the ice castle, the cliffs and forest where Rapunzel's tower stood, a glowing seashell necklace, the giant snowflake over Arendelle, the light festival over Corona's waters, a bright pink dress, the ochre chandelier dropping straight towards her, a set of cutlery in a candelabra, a puzzle on an old pink rug, a brass orb and scepter with a patina of frost, the seven-person vanity where Ariel's sisters made themselves up every day, sunflowers everywhere, laser light bursting through a statue of Eric, Corona's castle's balcony, a boulder by the shore.

As the world lightened, a surface above was closing in, like a falling ceiling. It undulated and the bubbles spread away as they neared. The three ducked their heads as they burst through the other side. It was the ocean. They had fallen up through the ocean. And were still falling. Or rising?

The ocean faded away, too far to see, and all around was marigold sky. Orange swirled into the dark void. A portal. All was weightlessness. They flew through a swirl of prismatic clouds, every glint flashing red or green or blue. The tunnel ended in a black and red vortex. They punched through into nothing.

Something touched their feet. The weight settled--they were standing on something again. And though there was no light, they could see each other.

An apparition walked toward them, blurred and devoid of any color but white. Greys and blacks filtered in, giving depth. The other colors after that, giving definition. He clapped his hands.

"Well done on that rebellion," Arcius said. "Good decision-making on your part."

"You," Ariel hissed. "You did this?"

"I knew one of you would return to your point of formation. I apologize for everything that had to happen to get you there though. Quite a sudden war. I do hope the casualties were minimal."

"You need to leave us alone," Elsa said. "We're coming to get you."

Arcius snickered. "How are you going to do that? You can't even control where you are right now."

Rapunzel stepped in. "We're not anywhere. And you're not either. Otherwise, you'd be trying to capture us. This is all some kind of mirage."

She approached Arcius and passed her hand through his head.

"Reality and energy turn out to be less manifested under the power of time," Arcius said. "This is the power you keep rejecting. This is why I'm here. I don't think you quite realize what it is you're denying."

The blackness lifted. They were in Elsa's castle. It was wintertime, but a natural winter. And at Christmastime, with candles and small paper baskets. The room smelled of roast mutton and vinegar cabbage. Elsa's brain sizzled as the emotions came back to her. But this wasn't a past, this was a future.

Anna was kneeling by the Christmas tree. So was Kristoff. They had a baby wrapped in a blanket. All three of them had red noses and cheeks.

"They just showed him his first winter," Arcius said. "He giggled when snowflakes landed on his nose."

"If you're going to show us a bleak vision of our futures, it's not working," Elsa said.

"Who said it was bleak?" Arcius said. "Arendelle is prosperous. You are a fine queen, and an aunt. And Anna has everything you ever wanted while you stand on the sidelines. You have the people's allegiance but not their respect. And you spend the rest of your life trying to get it back. Days upon days in council meetings and document readings, neglecting your sister and friends. You slave and toil for a kingdom in perpetual terror. A kingdom waiting for the day you perish so they can sleep peacefully again. She moves on and marries. Oh, you pop in once in a while to their lives. But you are forever off to the side, watching her get everything _you_ ever wanted--a close loving family."

"You're undermining your own point. By telling us the future, it can be changed," Elsa said.

"Kid, I OWN the future." Arcius stepped back, letting the temper fade away again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to erupt like that. But this is not some premonition. This is real. You are seeing the power I'm talking about. This is the fate that is written. And yours is the most comforting of the three of you."

The lights went down to pitch. Like a theater, they rose up on a castle balcony. Corona's castle. The sky was on fire, sunset orange and charcoal gray. The ocean roiled like a sea of blood. Hissing explosions popped with balls of smoke.

And overlooking it all was Queen Rapunzel. She was older. Her eyes were sunken in and rimmed with sickly mauve. She wore a drab mulberry dress with thick cuffs. Her gray hair was tied in a bun, except for the wispy strands that had gotten loose.

"What happened to me?" Rapunzel asked.

"What hap _pens_ ," Arcius said, "is that you are a conqueror. Corona became mighty attractive to your neighboring countries, with an inexperienced ruler and singular access to water. They try to take the kingdom of the sun. First through politics, then by deception, and finally by force. The years of war harden you, Rapunzel."

Her breath caught in her throat at the mention of her name.

"Though you are inexperienced, Corona does not fall. The lessons you learn discipline you. The betrayals you have to make, the games for power, sacrifices and under-the-table deals. And your kingdom goes from defender to attacker. Never again will Corona be taken advantage of, that's for certain."

"No," Rapunzel whispered.

"Still," Arcius said, turning to Ariel. "It's a better fate than what happens to your kingdom."

The light faded again. When it returned, they were on a beach. Ariel's beach. She turned to face the castle.

The roof of the tallest tower had been ripped away. Ivy covered the walls near the land. Near the sea, whole partitions had fallen away. Barnacles stuck to the pock-marked walls.

"Your land simply deteriorates. A slow, gradual decline. Very painful for the people. Those who stayed that is. Everyone fled once they saw which way the wind was blowing."

"What... what did this?" Ariel asked.

"A weak queen. Indecisive. Never there when needed. Avoiding accords that would have impact. Her husband works himself into an early grave trying to compensate. And once she takes power, she instantiates silly rules, ratifies all requests, ignores the consequences."

"No, that's not going to happen," Ariel said. "I've already learned that lesson. This is not what my life turns out to be. For any of us."

"Don't you get it? This is exactly _what_ happens. I know it because I've _seen_ it. That's the power of the grain of time." Arcius sighed. "I would think you'd be a little more appreciative of what I'm demonstrating. I offer these images freely, using the last of the grain of time's power. You cannot let it die, it's too important to let it fade into the aether. You can change deserts into forests by planting a single seed. Have the childr- the life you were meant to have."

"Wait, what?" Elsa stood up. "What did you say?"

"You didn't show any of us with children," Ariel said. "How do you know what we're meant to have?" She paused. "Our fates used to be different, weren't they? Something changed."

Arcius's voice thinned. "You must understand. It's the only way I can interact with the world anymore. I cannot simply leave my lair. The grain of time is too precious to leave alone."

Rapunzel wiped her eyes. "But you have changed things. Just how much have you changed?"

"It's nothing devastating. Like I said, plant a tiny seed here and a whole forest grows."

"Or remove a seed and a wasteland appears," Elsa said angrily. "You've already been altering our lives, haven't you? Messing with our past to... to what? Just how much can you change? Did my parents die so you could have-"

"No." Arcius held out his hand. "I assure you, I've done nothing to affect your lives beyond the past year. And even then, only in the smallest of ways. Little changes, nudges in a certain direction. The most difficult part is revising the mistakes. And maintaining the minimal amount of reform possible. Humans are so unpredictable. It took so many corrections until you would find your way to me. And I'm still not happy with how events turned out. Not to mention each reduced the potential of the grain of time. Now you see why I need your power?"

"The birds," Elsa said. "You did that."

"What birds?" Rapunzel asked. At the same time, Ariel gasped.

"When my ship wrecked, Ariel dragged me to a shoal. This was before I knew who she was. We started fighting, but a bunch of birds attacked us and drove us to shore."

"You see how hard it is?" Arcius asked. "It is an easy thing to join two diametrical parties against a common foe. But one must make preparations. To train and breed those birds to be territorial, relocate their home to that specific rock, mend their behavior for the right circumstances."

"Hans's armada. You arranged that," Elsa said. "And the three messages for us."

"And the guy who attacked me in the night," Rapunzel said. "The one using Ravir's name. He was sent by you!"

Arcius said "I needed to get you to Arendelle. I needed you alone, without any spouses to affect your decision or armies backing you up. Any one of you could serve as a source, but it was easier if all three of you arrived together."

"And Ansel. Somehow you made it so he rose through the ranks and became the commander. And-" Rapunzel gasped. "The library! The explosion! You did that!"

"You should have seen yourselves, squabbling over such petty contrivances. Only a significant distraction could have reunited you. Do you know how many tries it took to get that right? Too many people kept dying and left you too demoralized to continue. You kept splitting away to reinforce your kingdoms. I had to create a disaster with enough sentimental impact but no casualties. Do you know how hard that is?"

"You've been changing events this whole time," Ariel said. "So that circumstances would be perfect for all of us to find each other. Do you know how much we suffered? What about that?"

"Do you think this is the first time we've had this conversation?" Arcius let a moment pass for that to sink in. "We've met dozens of times. The reason you don't remember is because I've adjusted events that erase it.

"How could you?" Elsa growled. "These are our lives. You don't get to maneuver them to serve your own goals."

"At any point, did you have a clue that your life's path had been diverted? No. You stayed in blissful ignorance, continuing a single unbroken track. And what worse were you for it?""

"You don't have the right-"

"I have EVERY right." The girls drew back. "Don't you get it yet? I have the power. The person with the power _gets_ the right. That's _why_ he has the power. He earned it. He deserved it." Arcius's chest and shoulders heaved with each breath.

"Which one of us?" Ariel asked quietly.

"What?" Arcius answered.

"Which one of us has the child? Me? Rapunzel?"

Arcius paused before answering. "You did. A daughter. Named Melody. She looked like her father."

Ariel nodded. "But that's not going to come to pass, is it? Now that you've changed things. It's so far gone it's never going to happen."

Arcius stiffened. "My patience has worn thin. You have forced me from persuasion to threat. Either join me or I will manipulate your lives so you will have no choice."

"We said no. And we mean no," Rapunzel said.

"You must think carefully about your words, young one," Arcius growled. "The magic must be of free will. But free will can be manipulated."

"What free will do we have when you've been tearing our lives apart?" Elsa asked. "We're coming for you. And we're going to stop you."

"My power is not unlimited, but I will use what I have to bend you to my will. Perhaps it will be such a diversion that none of you would know you had lives to begin with. If you do not come to me, I _will_ come to you."

Arcius stepped back. Darkness swallowed his body.

Though they couldn't see it, something pulled them away. The world stretched, contorted towards a single focal point. Vertigo made their eyes shut. When they opened them, they were in the ice castle, still holding hands. Pabbie, Flynn, and Kristoff were staring at them, slack-jawed. Kristoff was beardless again.

Flynn leaned into Pabbie. "What are we waiting for?" he whispered.

"You didn't see anything happen?" Rapunzel asked.

"How long we were gone?" Elsa asked.

"Gone?" Kristoff asked. "Gone where?"

"You didn't see us leave?" Elsa asked.

"Did time stop? Did we pass out?" Ariel asked.

"What are you talking about? Pabbie said you should hold hands, like something was going to happen." Flynn's eyebrows shot up. " _Did_ something happen?"

"It's Arcius. His magic's unstable because the grain of time's losing power. That explains why you saw Kristoff with a beard," Rapunzel said.

"I had a beard?" Kristoff asked.

Ariel nodded. "A big bushy lumberjack one. It didn't look good."

"Anna! Where's Anna? Where is she?" Elsa yelled.

Kristoff reared back, afraid of Elsa's intensity. "B-back at the castle. Helping with the restoration. Did something happen to her?"

"I don't know. Arcius is messing with time. He could have done anything. He could make it so she was never born." Elsa turned on her heel. "We need to get back to the castle NOW!"

Flynn, Kristoff, and Pabbie froze with alarm. "Sven's outside, all hooked up," Flynn said.

"Let's go," Elsa said.

She was out of the castle and in the sleigh before anyone else. Kristoff jumped in before she could whip the reins and take off. He waited for the others to rush in before calling for Sven to take off.

Blustery snow pelted their faces, like a thousand tiny bullets. All but Elsa pulled up their collars, tucking in against the snow. But the queen leaned forward on the rail, as if she could will them faster. Every passing minute ate at her.

They reached the outskirts by evening and the castle at sunset. Kristoff pulled Sven to a stop at the castle gates. Elsa leapt out before the sleigh fully stopped.

"Anna! Anna!" she yelled. "Anna! Where are you?"

Her voice echoed in the empty entrance hall. Elsa ran through the corridors with madcap fervor. The occasional servant or maid looked up, confused. But Elsa would be past them before they could ask. "Anna!"

"Elsa?"

Anna stood outside the gallery, holding a portrait under her arm.

Elsa rushed and embraced her, nearly making her drop the painting.

"What's going on?" Anna said, bewildered. "Am I in trouble?"

"No. I'm just... so glad... you're my sister," Elsa panted.

"Me too," Anna said. She patted her back.

Elsa stood up. "Has anything happened? Anything strange?"

"I don't think so. Except Ansel replaced all the curtains in the study with green and yellow. Is that weird enough? I mean, green and yellow? Yuck."

Ariel and Rapunzel, who had been pursuing Elsa through the palace, finally caught up with them. "Phew, she's all right," Rapunzel said.

"All right? What do you mean 'all right'? What's going on?"

"Nothing," Ariel said. "And even if there was, you wouldn't have known it."

Anna's eyes opened even wider. Rapunzel elbowed Ariel in the ribs.

"Everything's fine." Elsa caressed Anna's shoulders. "I just wanted to make sure you were fine too. What have you been doing?"

"We're taking out all the changes Ansel made to the castle. I've been looking through the gallery. Look at this portrait he put up of himself. Bleh."

She held up the framed canvas. It was the portrait Ariel and Rapunzel had seen during Ansel's dinner. His austere visage gazed at them, reprimanding any action that did not encourage downfall of the monarchy. He held his hands in front of his snap blue uniform, not a wrinkle on it.

"Where's his book?" Rapunzel asked.

Anna peered over the top of the portrait. "What book?"

"He had a book in his hands. A big blue one with a gold symbol on it. He said he made a special point to include it in the painting. For his 'legacy'."

"What are you talking about? It always looked like this. Unless he had it painted over," Flynn said.

"Not that quick," Elsa said.

Anna chuckled. "Are you saying this isn't the same painting you saw? What do you think he did? Grab a different painting from another world?"

Anna, Rapunzel, and Elsa looked at each other.

"Where is Ansel?" Elsa asked.

* * *

Ansel was in the dungeon, nowhere near where Rapunzel and Ariel had broken in. He sat under the window on the bench opposite the bars. He clasped his hands, as if in prayer, when the three girls approached.

Ariel held up the painting.

"Explain this," Rapunzel said.

"It's me," Ansel said.

"It's you, missing one key detail," Elsa said.

Ansel, to his credit, studied the painting. He shrugged. "One of my lieutenants commissioned it. I posed for it, far longer than I would have liked. The last I saw of it was when it was to be hung in the castle gallery. Is there anything I missed?"

"The book," Elsa said. "What about the book?"

"What book?"

"When we saw this before, there was a book in this painting. It had a teal cover and a gold symbol on the cover. Like this." She pointed her forefinger in the air and made a design like an hourglass.

Ansel sat back against the wall. He said nothing.

"Why don't we see it now? Were there two paintings? Was there something special about it?" Rapunzel asked.

"There is no book in that painting because I did not pose with such a book," Ansel said.

"There's more to it than that," Ariel said. "I can see it in your eyes."

"You'd better tell us," Rapunzel said. "Or else Bad Elsa will come out again."

His eyes momentarily glanced her way.

"How do you know about that book?" Ansel asked.

"What is it?" Rapunzel asked.

Ansel stood up. He took a deep breath. "The first time I saw it was in my ship's cabin, heading from Corona to Arendelle. No one on my ship knew where it came from, who had placed it, who wrote it. As if it appeared out of thin air."

Rapunzel, Elsa, and Ariel looked at each other.

He continued, "It alarmed me. My cabin had been encroached. Posted security avoided, which is _always_ present on my flagship. Yet, whoever penned this journal had done so."

"Journal?" Ariel asked.

"A handwritten account describing, in detail, how dangerous Arendelle's queen is." He kept eye contact with Elsa as he said this. Elsa scowled at him, a reminder that "Bad Elsa" could still come out. "All her past transgressions. Potential future ones. Detailed descriptions on how far her power could go. Her friends and allies. Strengths and weaknesses. In addition, her policies, her actions within the state. The condition of the Arendelle citizenry I would be sailing into. And how to manipulate the populace into renouncing her and accepting me as leader."

"The whole book told you how to do that?" Rapunzel asked. "Like a guide?"

Ansel nodded. "What to do, who to talk to, where to go. Almost down to the words I should say."

Again, the three girls glanced at each other. There was no need to ask who had written it.

Elsa said "And what did you stand to gain out of this?"

Ansel shrugged. "Its end justified the means. The ousting of a dangerous ruler and my own installation into power. Questionable good fortune, maybe. Perhaps I would end up owing my benefactor a favor. But the reason was sound, and I followed it." He sat back and smiled.

Ariel's eyebrows shot up. He was being way too generous with his revelations. Anyone behind bars had to be threatened or bribed to give up choice information like this. "Why are you telling us all this?"

"Because there's a reason the book you're talking about is not there." Ansel nodded toward the portrait. "It hasn't been in my possession since shortly after I arrived."

"Why not? Where is it?" Elsa asked.

"The book told me what to say to stave off the navies of Weselton and the Southern Isles... and how to affiliate with them for considerations. They never left Arendelle. They sailed deep into Odin's Fjord and are waiting there."

"Waiting for what?" Ariel asked.

"For my signal. Or lack of signal, I should say." Ansel smiled. "You could call it a contingency plan. Would that I were compromised. Which... well, look, here we are."

"Lack of signal?" Ariel asked.

"The book also included a recipe for a powerful explosive. Combining frozen hydrogen, aldehyde, and Tollens' reagent. Along with a complex mechanism for keeping these ingredient separate until a certain point. They're waiting for a coded message from me. If they receive the message, they remain. But if a certain amount of time goes by without hearing from me, they create a blockade and fire the bomb at the city."

The girls' breaths caught in their throats simultaneously.

"Arendelle should be quite ripe for annihilation. Your fleet is depleted, your soldiers are undernourished, your citizens are questioning their loyalty. No trace of this transgression should be discovered." Ansel grinned. "This kingdom will be a wasteland for cartographers to gray out and dismiss for centuries to come."

"How much time until they need the message?" Rapunzel asked.

Ansel said nothing. He grinned.

Elsa reached through the bars and grabbed Ansel's lapel. "How much time?"

Ansel grinned. "Do your worst, ice queen. I'm no longer afraid of death." He laughed. He laughed and laughed. The laugh of a madman with nothing left to lose. Who saw everything so perfectly that it gave an insane giddiness.

"Come on," Rapunzel said. "We have to take care of this now." The three of them rushed up the stairs. Kristoff, Anna, Flynn, Olaf, and Pabbie were waiting in the Queen's study.

"Well?" Flynn asked. "Was it a time thing?"

"It has to be," Rapunzel said. "Maybe all this time manipulation is letting us see the differences between what should be and what's changing."

"But it's worse," Elsa said. "Hans's navy has a bomb that could destroy all of Arendelle. And they're probably on their way now."

"Hans's navy? I thought he got rid of them," Kristoff said.

"He did. By recruiting them to his side," Rapunzel said.

"Well, we'll stop him. Can't we take out the fleet and stop him from getting close?" Anna wrung her hands.

Kristoff shrugged. "How? That blockade stretched wall to wall. And if they have any of Ansel's allies still on their side..."

"We can distract Hans-" Flynn started.

"That's not going to work a second time," Rapunzel said. "We've used up all our good will. They're only going to listen to Ansel."

"Maybe we can escape. If we go further into the mountains-" Anna said

"No," Elsa said. "I'm not escaping. And I'm not sacrificing anyone else."

Olaf shook his head. "If only you could turn yourselves invisible."

"Invisible..." Elsa turned to Pabbie. "Pabbie. The morimema. Could we use that somehow? You said it just needed something to focus on."

"That's genius." Ariel stood up. "We use it on Arendelle. They forget it ever existed."

Pabbie stuttered. "The artifact doesn't have nearly enough magic left. There's not enough to cover the kingdom."

Elsa rubbed her chin. "Maybe there's not enough to cover a city... could you cover a person?"

"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.

"Maybe we don't have to hide Arendelle. But if we can hide ourselves, we could sneak aboard and destroy the bomb."

Pabbie hummed. "I think I can summon enough power to focus on the three of you. But you would have to stay close to each other."

"We always do," Ariel said.

"But it's not enough to cover the boat, is it?" Flynn asked. "How are you going to float past them?"

"And there's no going around or under this time," Anna said.

"We can do it," Elsa said. "The _Barefoot Maiden_ is sea-worthy. We just have to get past their blockade to the flagship."

"You're not leaving again without our help," Kristoff said. "You shouldn't have gone out alone in the first place."

"Same here," Flynn said. "We won't allow it. That's final."

"Well, I'm queen," Elsa said. "And only I get to say what's final. Otherwise, I can have you locked in the dungeon..." She gave her trademark smirk and cocky eyebrow.

Anna stepped forward. "Well, I'm the queen's sister. And I have the power to overrule the queen if she's doing something stupid or dangerous."

"I'm pretty sure that's not a law," Elsa said.

"It's the law of sisters," Anna said. "And you have to follow it. Or else... else..."

"Anna..." Elsa took Anna's hands in hers. "I know this is scary for you. But you need to stay. Evacuate the town. Get everyone in Arendelle to shelter."

"But..."

"If something _does_ happen to us, I want a good ruler on the throne. A ruler who puts the well-being of her people before herself."

"We're not alone. It'll be the three of us," Rapunzel said.

"We can handle anything," Ariel said.

"They have cannons, guns. If they stop you, you're dead," Kristoff said.

"Then we'll have to make sure we're not stopped," Elsa said.


	40. Paying Off Debts

Boats stretched across the mighty fjord, facing outward. Each flew the dual flags of the Southern Isles and Weselton. Hans's flagship held behind the blockade, barely visible.

"Do you think this is going to work?" Ariel asked Rapunzel who steered.

"If Elsa believes it will work, I think so. She's confident enough of our powers."

At the bow, Elsa held a telescope to her eye. She stood like the maidenhead of the ship they were on.

"I just hope she's confident about hers."

Above the bowsprit was a gigantic copper cone, manned by an ensign. The wide end pointed at them, making them think it was some kind of cannon. But it was a megaphone, as they discovered when the captain spoke into it.

"Approaching vessel, lower your emblem and raise the white flag to signal your intent to surrender." The voice warbled across the water, echoing and distorting the words.

Ariel stepped up beside Elsa. "Isn't that cute? They think I'm going to surrender," Elsa said to her.

The opposing captain waited for them to make an intention toward the flagpole. When enough time had passed, he declared "Approaching vessel, signal your surrender."

Ariel raised her trident. "I can make your voice louder."

Elsa grinned and nodded.

"No." Her voice carried with the same volume and weight as Hans's.

"Queen Elsa, this doesn't have to be a bloodbath. Anchor your boat and we'll board you. We'll make this nice and quick."

"Remove your vessels from Arendelle waters," Elsa said. "Or we'll remove them for you."

The captain talked to someone at his side, then returned. "You can't seriously think you're going to overcome two combined navies. You have no armada."

"I have no armada?" Elsa said. She raised her hands. "I AM the armada."

Dark clouds crawled in from the edges of the horizon, surrounding their little section of ocean. A pelting ice rain fell, churning the waters and soaking all sailors to the bone with ice coldness. They could hear the distress from here.

"Cease this immediately or we will open fire. You've given us no choice."

Elsa nodded to Ariel. Her trident stopped glowing as the magic surrounding her voice ceased. "No choice? I'll show you what it's like to have no choice," Elsa muttered. "Full sail."

Ariel and Rapunzel scattered across the ship, readying sails and ropes. Ariel shot a beam into the water, creating a firm wave that pushed them forward. Rapunzel hooked her hair across riggings and swung to each mast, letting out the sails to their maximum spread.

Cannons boomed through the hazy mist of the cold rain. They fell short of the bow.

"Ariel, need you at the front. Rapunzel-"

"I got it," she shouted from the crow's nest, where she already was. "Three-quarters north by northwest."

As Rapunzel called out the location of the next ships to open their cannonade, Elsa focused her attention. Giant icicles dropped out of the clouds, falling in slow motion onto the ships. The icicles exploded into shards as sailors ejected off deck. One ship careened onto its side, already halfway sunk, as the two next to it rocked back and forth.

More cannons. Their whistling call narrowed the gap, prickling their hairs on their necks. Ariel shot the closest. The iron globe disintegrated in a ball of gold light. Another exploded out. Ariel shot that too.

Elsa dropped three more icicles on ships near Hans's. Like divine angels of retribution descending the heavens. They fell as slow as molasses, giving the enemy time to ponder their fate.

"Northwest," Rapunzel shouted. She lassoed the crow's nest crossbar and swung down to the deck, rejoining her two friends. "They're pulling away."

"But Hans's ship is still there- whoop!" Ariel caught sight of a cannon ball mere yards away before destroying it. "It's harder to spot them in time." A boom to the left. Ariel had to fire three times before hitting it.

"No one hurts my friends." Elsa spread out her arms, controlling the storm, the icicles, and now, the snowballs knocking the cannonballs off course. Lead shot crashed into them with an awful tinkling sound.

The temperature around Elsa dropped suddenly enough to make Rapunzel shiver. She looked at Elsa. Her eyes were white. Frost was dripping down her outstretched arms.

"Elsa, be careful," Rapunzel said. "You're using too much power."

This was what she was afraid of. Elsa's power was their best chance at surviving. But that meant putting herself at risk to become a heartless monster again. Rapunzel tugged at Elsa's arm.

"Power? I'll show them power," Elsa said.

A line of icicles stabbed out of the frothing water, trailing towards the ship left of Hans. They speared the boat through its belly.

"Elsa. Stop, you're going to lose control," Rapunzel said.

"She can't stop," Ariel said. "We're too close. They'll kill us."

"One time," Elsa said, cradling a deep breath. "I cut off a horse's tail when I was little. Just out of curiosity."

Ariel and Rapunzel looked at each other.

"I wrote a love letter to the stable boy," Elsa said. "I didn't tell him who I was. I told him I'd meet him behind the fountains at midnight. But I was too scared and never showed up."

Her white eyes faded back down to her normal blue ones.

"When I was nine, I got sick the day they were painting our yearly portrait and I threw up all over Anna and mom. I can't read books where there's a dog, because I'm too afraid the dog will die."

It was working. Whether by whim of the storm or not, Hans's escort vessels angled away, leaving his ship alone.

"One time I was really mad at Anna and I called her stupid and fat and sloppy when she was being really obnoxious and wouldn't leave me alone. I never apologized to her. Sometimes I faked being sick just so I could get attention from mom and dad. I was always in my room, so it was the only way to get them to stay with me."

Between the pelting rain, the cannons, the ice chunks and trident blasts, chaos swirled around them. Rapunzel ran to the wheel. Ariel used her trident to summon a wall of cascading water on both sides of the ship. The force of the flow would curtail any close shots. But it had the side-effect of closing their view to only the destination ahead.

Elsa stood before the storm, tears like needles in her eyes from the stinging wind.

"I thought about suicide a lot. Like, a lot. Both before Mom and Dad died and after. It would have been easier on everyone if I just hadn't existed. All I did was cause trouble. I stole a kitchen knife, but my dad found it hidden in my dresser drawer and took it away. He never told anyone about it. But I didn't need it. I could have stabbed myself with an icicle. I thought about tying the bed sheets into a noose and jumping out the window. I didn't want to live if I was going to stay in my room for the rest of my life. But when I was going to become queen it got... worse and better. I had something to live for again, but I had to do it alone. I was always alone. I was always-"

"Elsa!" Ariel shouted.

Elsa stopped talking. She saw Ariel below her, holding her hand. Rapunzel was next to her.

"We're through," she said.

Elsa looked around. The sky was bright blue, with the expanse of water before them. No ships, no armada. No Hans.

"Are you okay?" Ariel asked gently.

"It was the only way to keep my heart from freezing," Elsa said. "I had to keep it open." She wiped her eyes.

Rapunzel embraced her cousin in a hug. Ariel joined in.

"I don't want to do that again," Elsa said, sobbing.

"No, no, you don't have to do that again," Rapunzel replied.

"I don't think I _could_ do that again," she said with a half-laugh. "It's just... it's just too much."

"How do you feel?" Ariel asked.

"Like scum," Elsa said.

"Hey." Rapunzel took Elsa's face in her hands. "We still love you. We will never stop loving you. You don't need to be forgiven."

"We all have had terrible things in our lives. Terrible things we've thought about," Ariel said.

"When Mother said I could never leave the tower, I had some really dark thoughts that time," Rapunzel said.

"And I don't know what I'd do if I never got to see the human world," Ariel said. "But it's all past you now, right?"

"Yeah." Elsa stood up straight. "Unless we don't get to that bomb. Then it'll be nothing but the past."

She picked up her telescope. Though distant, she could distinguish Hans on deck talking to the Duke of Weselton. The smugness had been replaced with rage befitting a sociopath.

"They're heading towards us," Elsa said as she snapped the telescope closed. "Let's get ready."

* * *

Aboard Hans's flagship, they saw the blockade close in on the single galleon. They saw the storm rage in. They saw cannon fire and heavy artillery rendered useless by snowballs and light beams. They saw spouts of water churn and geyser into the air, sending all the ships distant corners away. Now they saw the galleon heading straight towards them.

Hans fingered the flintlock pistol at his shoulder. He stared at the incoming vessel, searching for a sign to give the command to fire.

But the boat continued on toward them, following the breeze. It curved and slid alongside there's. Still, not a soul had presented itself.

"What is going on?" The Duke of Weselton asked. "It's a ghost ship?"

"There are no ghosts," Hans said.

Once the ship had pulled alongside theirs--only a few yards distance between siderails--it suddenly halted. The wind vanished and the water below became as still as a pane of glass. Neither of their boats were going to move for a while.

"Sorcery," the duke said.

"Of course it's sorcery," Hans said. "That doesn't mean we can't defeat it. And it definitely means someone's in control." To the officers beside him, he said, "Send all but the most essential men over. Search everywhere. This boat didn't sail itself."

The officer nodded. He shouted orders and soon a large contingent gathered on deck. Men lowered three long planks as bridges between the two ships.

The leader of the search party crossed first and shouted, "We know you're here, girls. Come out and show yourselves."

Only the stillness.

Men scattered around the deck, expecting to see someone at the wheel, rudder control, a sailing master, a gunner. But not even a swabbie could be seen.

The lead officer blinked his eyes. To his second-in-command, he appeared frozen in thought. "Sir?"

"I... sorry, I thought I just saw them."

"Where?"

"... nowhere. I just... I feel like they're right in front of me. But I..."

Ahead of them lay nothing but air and the storage compartment on the quarterdeck.

"I feel it too," the second-in-command said. "It must be our instincts telling us we're on the right track. Let's keep searching."

The officer shouted. "Proceed below deck. Leave nothing unturned or unopened." The officer rested his hand on his cutlass's hilt and proceeded onward.

* * *

"I think it's working," Rapunzel whispered as the two officers moved further down the deck. She fastened her grips on Ariel and Elsa's hands.

"It's like they see us, but they don't see us," Ariel said. "We were standing right in front of him."

"Do we need to whisper?" Elsa asked. "If they couldn't see us, they couldn't hear us too."

The three of them switched from looking at the sailors invading their ship to the planks. Ariel held Rapunzel's hand with one of her own. The other gripped the crystal glowing contented blue to her chest. Elsa kept her fingers around Ariel's wrists.

"Let's go aboard," she said.

Rapunzel led the three of them across the plank to Hans's ship. No one noticed them. Hans and the duke stood on the quarterdeck, staring at the _Barefoot Maiden_ , waiting for something to happen. The only other people aboard were three men surrounding something against the wall of the gun deck.

"That's Hans?" Ariel whispered to Rapunzel. "I see why Anna fell for him."

Elsa stood in front of the guards, trying to look between them to see what they were guarding.

"Captain!" said the one in front.

Hans turned to him. He did a double-take, but said nothing.

The guard looked sheepish. "There's... I... er, nothing. Sorry."

Ariel and Rapunzel looked at each other. "That was close."

Elsa unstilled herself and stood on tiptoe. Behind them stood a small, innocuous barrel. The word "DANGER" was stenciled in white on the lid. A temperature gauge, like one would find in a turkey, was stuck through the lid.

"That must be it," she said. "How can we get it? I know no one can see or hear us, but does touch could break the spell?"

"Could we use the trident?" Rapunzel asked Ariel.

"What if it blows up?" she responded.

Another of the guards lifted his hands. "There! I see... I mean... no... never mind."

"What? What is it?" Hans asked impatiently.

"It's just. I thought I saw the queen and her cohorts standing right there."

Hans swept his eyes back and forth. He was looking right at the three of them, but didn't know it.

"It's like they're ghosts. It's giving me prickles on the back of my neck," said a guard.

Ariel giggled. The crystal in her hand pulsed once.

"There is something strange going on here," Hans said. He wandered off to confer with the duke.

The left guard reached out his hand, feeling for something that wasn't there. His fingertips came inches from Elsa's nose. She leaned back as far as she could without losing the morimema's protection.

"They're getting wise. We need to do this fast," Elsa said behind her teeth.

"All three at once," Ariel said.

"I got the left, Elsa the right, Ariel--center," Rapunzel said. "One-two-three-GO."

Elsa raised her hand. A pillar of ice rose from the deck, elevating the rightmost guard above the deck. The guard shouted "whoa" and lost his balance. Elsa extended the top of the pillar into a long sheaf of ice. He slid down, somersaulting all the way, and fell into a square hole below deck.

At the same time, Rapunzel bashed her guard in the helmet with her frying pan. He toppled over, chin first. She lassoed his legs with her hair, then whipped him to the other end of the boat.

The guard in the middle started thrusting out his spear at random points in space. "Begone, demons!

Ariel parried it with the trident tucked under her arm. She caught its pointed end between the tines, spun it once, then threw it into the air. The guard was still watching it drift upwards when she blasted the ground below him. The shockwave cast him in the same direction as the spear.

Ariel watched him careen over the side of the ship, ending in a resounding splash. As she smiled, the spear landed, knocking into her hand. Surprise made her jump back, which made her lose grip on the morimema.

The crystal fell to the deck where it shattered into a million tiny glittering pieces. Its blue glow faded instantly, giving the debris the appearance of sand.

"Uh-oh," Ariel said. The three of them looked up.

Prince Hans was standing behind them. So was the Duke of Weselton, holding out a sword. Hans aimed a flintlock pistol.

"I knew it. I knew it was some trick," Hans said. "One of your little ice and water shows."

"I'll give you an ice show," Elsa said, preparing to raise his hands.

Hans brandished his pistol. "Uh-uh. Keep your precious little gloves on. You too, princesses. I know all about your magic hair and your trident." Hans glowered.

"You know you're working with a dark sorcerer now," Ariel said.

"He must be getting desperate if now he's working with the likes of you," Rapunzel said.

"If that's what it takes, fine. He was the only one that came to me when I'd hit rock bottom. I was rotting in a swamp, watching over pitiful peasants."

"And what did he promise you?" Ariel asked. "A kingdom of your own? Treasure and jewels? Revenge on all your enemies?"

"And then some," Hans said.

"Just take me," Elsa said, stepping forward. "I'm the one you want. I'm the one that wronged you."

"What? Oh, you didn't think I cared about 'protecting' Arendelle, did you?"

"You plunged our countries into war!" Ariel shouted. "You killed how many dozens, maybe hundreds of people just to get your share? How could you do that?"

"I'm a chameleon," Hans said with pride. "I adapt to any situation to make people feel comfortable. Comfortable enough to give me what I want."

"Even if it costs your soul?" Rapunzel asked.

Hans grimaced. "You'd never know unless you were me, how it feels to receive the dregs of everything. I don't care who I have to deal with. I didn't choose to be the lastborn of the Westergaards. But I'm not going to let that determine my fate."

"Wait, what?" Ariel said. "Your last name is Westergaard?" She muttered to herself as she eyed the ground. "Westergaard, Westergaard, where have I heard that name."

"In the grotto!" Rapunzel said. "All those debt notices."

"What are you talking about?" Hans asked. "That debt was paid off. It took decades, but it was paid."

Rapunzel pointed at him. "Except the documents were all forgeries. At least that's what the letter said. It said the coat of arms didn't match the year the ledgers were written."

"Someone was going to a banquet to prove it, but the ship must have sunk," Ariel said.

"The spymaster..." Hans finished.

"That's right."

"Everyone in my family knows that story. Three generations ago, the kingdom was in debt up to its ears. It seemed to come out of nowhere. And you-"

Before Hans could turn, the duke grabbed the gun out of his hand and pointed it at him. "Now, now, let's not be hasty here. We have an alliance now. The debt's paid off."

"A debt we never owed you in the first place," Hans said, scowling.

"Well, come on. That was years ago," the duke said. "You don't seriously... expect... all right now, back off." He brandished his gun. "This may only have one bullet, but none of you want to be the one who gets it, eh?"

Rapunzel's eyebrows raised, but she said nothing. She stepped behind Ariel and Rapunzel, letting them hold the conversation.

"If you really forged those documents, there'll be proof of that. We keep much better records now."

"And won't your family be proud that you've solved the case, hm? Then where am I? You think Weselton can pay that all back? Do you think I was in Arendelle a year ago, trying to find their trade secrets for fun?"

"As soon as I get back to the Southern Isles, I'm finding those documents. I'm sure they're in the royal archive. And we'll find out the real truth."

"Then I'll have to make sure you never get back to the Southern Isles." He raised the gun. "Any last words?"

Hans stood stunned, unbelieving his partner would shoot him.

"I do, actually," Rapunzel said, stepping forward. "Just one question. Have you looked at your left shoulder lately?"

"My what?"

The duke turned his head to his left shoulder, as Rapunzel expected. This distracted him from his right shoulder, where Pascal actually was. The lizard darted out his tongue and stuck it in his ear.

The duke shrieked. The gun fired, emitting a puff of smoke, then he dropped it.

Ariel shot her trident at the duke's feet. The lightning bolt impacted and sent the Duke of Weselton rocketing off, arcing against the blue sky. He landed somewhere far away in the water with a distant plop.

Pascal turned cartwheels in the air. Rapunzel rushed up and caught the chameleon in her soft hands. "Are you okay?"

His eyes spun, but he gave a thumbs-up with his three flat toes.

"Find shelter," Rapunzel whispered. She set him on the deck and ran to the two others.

"Is everyone all right?" Elsa asked, patting her body for bullet holes. Rapunzel and Ariel did the same, as if searching for where they left their keys.

"Does anyone hear that hissing?" Ariel asked.

They followed their ears to the source. The barrel was emitting a geyser of smoke from a crack where the bullet had grazed it. The temperature gauge's needle was climbing towards the red zone.

"That can't be good," Rapunzel said.

All three knelt in front of the barrel. Three small locks latched the lid.

"Blast it!" Ariel said. She pointed her trident.

Rapunzel stuck her hand between her and the box. "No, that could set it off! Let's throw it overboard," Rapunzel suggested.

"It's strong enough to destroy a city. I don't think that's going to save us," Elsa said. "Hans, how does this thing work?"

They looked around the deck. "Hans?"

Something clunked against the side of the ship. The three ran to see Hans pulleying the longboat into the water.

"I'm not through with you yet, Duke," he said as the dinghy landed. He detached the ropes and started rowing away.

"Coward," Elsa muttered.

They returned to the barrel. The needle was seconds away from the red zone.

"We've got to do something," Elsa said. "We can't just sit here. Throwing it in the water won't help. Destroying it won't help. I can't freeze it, I don't know what's inside."

"This is just what he wanted," Rapunzel muttered. "For us to call him for help."

"Who?" Ariel asked.

"Arcius. He could turn back time, get us out of this mess, if we agree to help him."

"He started this mess in the first place," Elsa grunted. "I won't give him the satisfaction. I'd rather it explode. I'd rather be destroyed than..." she paused. "Your hair! It's indestructible."

"That's right!" Ariel said.

"Guys, I don't know if it's _that_ indestructible," Rapunzel said.

"Do we have any other options?"

Rapunzel smoothed out a swath of her hair. Elsa and Ariel wrapped it around the barrel like a yarn ball. "Cover it. There can't be any square inch exposed."

They continued wrapping it was taut. A faint whistling began from under the pillows of yellow thread.

"If we can still hear it, does that mean it's tight enough?"

"It needs more," Elsa said. She shot her magic at the ball of crumpled hair. Blue ice formed a jagged meteorite around it. The ice chunk began to vibrate.

"Oh no you don't," Ariel said. She fired her trident. A translucent golden shield enveloped the lump, which began to rise in the air.

It trembled like a fluttering dandelion. Elsa and Rapunzel turned away. Ariel shut her eyes.

The ice ball stopped trembling. It fell to the ground.

Elsa touched the ball of ice she had made. Wispy snowflakes fluttered away like escaping fireflies. When they unraveled it all, the only thing left was smears of black soot, which wiped away easily.

"We did it," Rapunzel said. She shouted into the air. "You hear that Arcius? We did it! We did-"

There was a sound like tearing cloth.

"What was that?" Ariel asked.

"There," Elsa pointed. "Do you see it?" She leaned to the left and the right.

In the space before them, part of the air was sliced and torn. Like the world was made of canvas and been slit by a vandal. Jagged edges marked the fissure. Everything within the tear was the same as its opposite side, though slightly askew.

"What is that?" Rapunzel asked.

Ariel poked her trident through. It emerged to the left as if refracted in a glass of water. "It's like a rip in the world," Ariel said.

"Or a rip in time," Elsa said.

"Should we go through it?" Rapunzel asked.

As suddenly as it appeared, the rip closed. Another appeared, right next to Elsa. She jumped back, colliding with Ariel who caught her. Inside this one, the day was darker. The seas roiled pea green.

"I think we should get out of here," Elsa said as she backed away.

The rip closed. Another appeared on the opposite side of them. Then it closed. Another opened even closer.

The three of them ran back to the upper deck. They had little recourse as the fissures were pushing them away from their ship. As Elsa reached the upper deck, she heard a feminine "whoop"

"Rapunzel?" Elsa turned to her. "Rapunzel, are you all right?"

No answer. The world was shredding itself to pieces around them.

"She disappeared," Ariel said. "She ran right into it."

Elsa and Ariel reached for each other's hands. "Maybe we should stay still."

More appeared around them--thin lacerations winking in and out of existence, each in a different spot. How long would this last?

Ariel dropped. A hole in space appeared under her. Elsa lost her grip--she expected Ariel to be taken from the side, not under.

"Ariel!" Elsa got down on hands and knees and shouted into the hole. No sign of her. The warped space sealed.

Now she was on the ship. All alone.

Another rip appeared in front of her. She didn't wait. She jumped in.


	41. For the Last Time in Forever

From the thick gray fog, it looked like a volcano at first. But the temperature drop didn't agree with that. The floor no longer felt like the soft wood of the boat.

"Rapunzel?" she called out. She waved her hand through the fog.

"You're only here because of your power. You're not my equals. I could have killed you eons ago," Arcius's bodiless voice said. "You're no better than the power you hold. The power you don't deserve to hold. It brought about your weakest moments, when you were your worst person."

The fog in front of Elsa cleared. She was standing on a frozen plain. Another Elsa sat on her knees, weeping, while Prince Hans approached her from the back. He held up his sword, ready to strike.

From nowhere, Anna stepped in between them, arms raised against the incoming blow.

"No!" she shouted.

Anna froze solid into unblemished polar blue ice. The sword struck her ice-solid hand and shattered.

Elsa--the real Elsa--fell on her knees. She had never seen this moment as an observer. Never seen Anna's face as she jumped in between he-r and the sword, so filled with terror and bravery. All while she sat there, weeping like a weak little girl.

"Caused by _your_ cowardice," Arcius said. " _Your_ selfishness. _Your_ indifference-"

"No." Elsa said. She rose. "I won't be tortured by images of the past. I've learned from this. I won't let it define who I am today."

"You don't have to let it exist at all."

The world wiped away into darkness. The air crisped and chilled. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw her mother holding eight-year-old Anna in her arms. Elsa gasped as her father's arm cradled her shoulder. She was standing in this exact spot ten years ago, feeling the same panic and fear.

Grand Pabbie touched his cold granite hand to Anna's forehead.

"It's for the best," her father said.

_The best? The best for what?_ Elsa shook her head without intention. This couldn't be happening again. _It's for the best._ That was father's response when she asked if Anna would remember her powers. The beginning of his vow to keep her suppressed.

"You can fix this," Arcius's voice whispered. "You can change it all right here. See what a difference it makes."

Pabbie continued. "Listen to me, Elsa. Your power will only grow. There is beauty in it, but also great danger." The old troll waved his arm, sending sparkles into the air. They swirled into a shadowy vision of her using magic, for good and for evil. "You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy."

Time seemed to slow down. Elsa couldn't tell if it was real or perception. Here she could change everything. With the experience she lacked as a child, she could stand up to her parents. She could tell them she wouldn't suffer a decade of misery. She could stop them from the shipwreck that killed them.

"No. We'll protect her. She can learn to control it, I'm sure." Her father gripped her tighter, pulling his family close.

If Arcius was telling the truth, she had only one shot at this. One second to make a decision that would affect the rest of her life.

"Till then, lock the gates. We'll reduce the staff. We will limit her contact with people, and keep her powers hidden from everyone. Including Anna," her father said.

Break free. All she had to do was break free. Tell them what would happen. Shout and scream. Tear away from it all.

"No," Elsa whispered. "No, Arcius. I'm not going to let you manipulate me into a decision I don't want to make," she shouted. "Do you hear me? My parents were wrong, but their intentions were right. That doesn't make what they did better, but we all make mistakes. And who knows what else would have happened? Anna never would have met Kristoff. Someone else would become the victim of Hans's treachery. And most of all, I will not become like you!"

The frozen tundra disappeared, replaced with the wispy fog of before. Elsa picked up her skirt and began running through the miasma. "Rapunzel? Ariel!" she called.

* * *

Rapunzel heard the same as Elsa did. "The power you don't deserve to hold. It brought about your weakest moments, when you were your worst person."

The fog swept away. She was in her tower room. A woman in a black cloak writhing and howling as her skin whitened and wrinkled. As she neared the window, her feet tripped over a cord of hair.

Rapunzel instinctively reached for her, the same as she did those years ago. But she couldn't reach in time. The woman windmilled her arms and fell out.

It happened again. The woman cackled from one end of the room to the other. She backed against the window and tumbled to her doom.

And again.

And again.

"Stop it!" Rapunzel cried, tears flowing.

"I can't stop it," Arcius said. "Only you can."

When Rapunzel opened her eyes, she was in her castle. It was too dark to see well, but a cool night air breezed across her face. When her eyes adjusted, she was in her parents' bedchamber. A lone bassinet sat at the foot of their bed. And a dark shape was approaching it.

"What is..." Then she realized what she was seeing.

The living shadow hovered over the baby. It reached in. "Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine," she sang.

The cradle emitted a sunny glow, lighting up Mother Gothel's face. She held up a strand of the baby's hair and cut it, halting the glow. The crone's hand morphed from vulture claw to youthful vigor. Then back again. Gothel gasped, as did Rapunzel.

"This is your chance. All you need to do is intervene. Bring back a life with your parents," Arcius said.

Was he serious? Was he really giving her the chance to change everything? Here and now?

Mother Gothel swooped up the infant. Rapunzel couldn't believe it happened this slow. She could jump in now. Stop it all from ever happening. Stop the misery, the loneliness. She reached out a hand.

Then thought of Flynn. What would happen to him? He was a baby now too. She would never know him.

And then what would happen? Everything would be different. He'd be killed as a criminal. And her friends in the Snuggly Duckling would still be there, drinking and fighting instead of pursuing their dreams. Maximus would be just another soldier's horse. The kingdom's rule wouldn't be marked by her parents' mourning. And Mother Gothel might still be alive, making someone else suffer for her mad desire.

The king and queen stirred in their beds. They spied Mother Gothel at the window, baby in the crook of her arm. She flourished her black cape, then she was gone.

A shadow appeared in the fog to the right of her. Elsa burst through. "Rapunzel? Are you-"

Rapunzel's fists clenched, her eyes vibrating. "I let her go," Rapunzel said. "I let her go. So it could all happen again."

"He gave me the same choice too. But I thought about everything that wouldn't have happened. What-"

"You don't... you don't understand. She was the only mother I knew for that long. She kept me safe. I thought she was keeping me safe. I don't..." She collapsed onto her knees and cried into her hands. "She was all I knew for eighteen years," Rapunzel whispered. "You can't let go of something like that. I'm going to be locked in the tower-"

"You're not there now." Elsa held Rapunzel's cheek and turned her toward herself. "You never were. She might have held your body, but not your spirit. Arcius is trying to make it like it's your fault. It's not."

Rapunzel wiped her eyes and stood up, helped by Elsa. For some reason, that got through to her.

"Is Ariel here?"

"Ariel! Ariel!" the two of them shouted.

* * *

_Your weakest points. Your worst person._ What did Arcius mean? It sounded like something was about to happen. The tone was so prophetic.

The mist cleared away and before her lay the sea floor--her home. Open blue expanse, the sandy ground, a few flat rocks. And in front of her was a plant. A mossy-colored seaweed unfurling to the shape of an old man with a long mustache.

"Daddy?" Ariel whispered.

The polyp's jaundiced eyes stared up at her. _How could you? How could you force me into this? Your stubbornness, your ignorance. You've lost us the whole kingdom._

Ariel bent on hands and knees. Tears filled her eyes. "Daddy, I'm so sorry. I never meant for-"

She was barely aware of a shadow in the fog behind her. Memories of this regret and sorrow held her fast. Even though he was only transformed for a short while, at the time, she thought it was forever. This was a memory he took to his death. This was-

"Ariel."

A hand grabbed her neck. She lifted off the floor, her throat constricting.

"Me again," Arcius said.

Ariel scratched at his grasp, but her twiggy fingers slid off his iron grip. He seemed so much taller, so much stronger than last time.

She lifted the trident. The sorcerer yanked it away, like taking a lollipop from a little girl.

"Like I said before. I only need one of you." He turned his gaze to the trident. "And in your case, not even you."

He dropped her. She collapsed, coughing for air.

Arcius gripped the trident in both hands. Its yellow light glowed and pulsed like a heartbeat. Energy traveled through Arcius's arm, giving him the same amber aura. The trident's majestic brass faded to slate gray, dull as iron.

Arcius squeezed his amber fist. The trident snapped in half like a twig.

"No!" Ariel yelled.

Rapunzel and Elsa appeared out of the mist, running toward them. They halted at the edge. "What happened?" Rapunzel asked.

Arcius smiled. His fingertips glowed with a golden aura. "Yes. This is excellent. This is divine power."

The fog disappeared as light flooded the area. They were in a circular room, on a platform floating on nothing. No walls, just open space. Consoles rimmed the edges of the room depicting mystical runes, crystal objects, and incomprehensible writing.

"Welcome to the laboratus. This is where I do all my best work." He gestured to a pedestal in the center of the room. It was the same pedestal where the grain of time sat, sparkling like a star.

Arcius waved his hand over it and the altar floated up into the aether where it disappeared.

"You're probably wondering how I was able to manipulate events so well. Well, I do it here."

The blackness dissolved into an enveloping view of the world. Landscapes and oceans zoomed out at them. Ragged mountains burst from the earth, then withered away. Rivers twisted through dry deserts like snakes, as lush forests bloomed around.

"I can observe all of time from here. From the first atoms to the last light," Arcius said.

"Stop this," Elsa said. "This is madness."

"No, it is not madness to wish for things to change. It is human. Why you deny it, I don't know. But that hardly matters." He clenched his fist. "With this power, I will be able to control it for eons. And after that..." He regarded the girls. "I have you."

A cylinder of wavering air appeared behind the three of them. It looked like a glass case, big enough for all of them to fit inside.

"Now you can enter that of your own free will, or enter it forcefully. But you will enter it," Arcius said.

"What is it?" Ariel asked.

"A point in space where time slows to eternal days. Do you know what an eternal day is?" He paused as if they would answer. "It's a useful little measurement we savants of chronology employ. You might know it as a proverb. High up in the northland, there stands a rock. It is a hundred miles high and a hundred miles wide. Once every thousand years a little bird comes to this rock to sharpen its beak. When the rock has thus been worn away, then a single day of eternity will have gone by."

Arcius smiled to let it all sink in. "Disregard the philosophical pith for the moment. What it means is that we can extrapolate further units. Three hundred sixty-five eternal days is an eternal year. One thousand eternal years is an eternal millennium. And so on."

The three girls stared at him dumbfounded. Arcius pointed to the chamber again.

"In that, you will last preserved ten thousand eternal years. Oh, you won't sleep. You'll be conscious. But isn't that better? Your bodies will last. Perhaps your mind won't, but..." He shrugged. "Such is the cost. After such a span, all I would need is your power. Now, like I said--you can get in voluntarily or not."

Elsa didn't even speak. She shot her ice power at him. It fizzled out before Arcius with a wave of his hand.

"You tried that before. It didn't work then. It surely won't work now."

Elsa continued shooting, thrusting magic after magic combined with fear and courage.

"Don't make this hard on yourself."

"We will never stop fighting you," Rapunzel said.

Arcius sighed. He waved his hand.

Ariel lifted into the air, carried by a force pulling her towards Arcius. Her toes dragged along the ground as her body knocked Rapunzel and Elsa aside.

The sorcerer grabbed her and wrapped his arm around her neck. Her legs went limp. Only Arcius's grip kept her upright.

"This one, I don't need to preserve."

"Let her go!" Elsa shouted.

"Go on. Attack me."

Ariel shouted in pain.

"Right now I'm making each of her joints stretch out at once. From the knees to the tiny stapes in her finger bones. I can do worse."

"Don't stop." Ariel grunted through gritted teeth and flecks of spit. To Arcius, "I'd rather die than see you harm my friends."

"I had intended on letting you live. I could simply cast you back into the world and let fate do its will. Unless your friends comply?"

Elsa and Rapunzel froze.

Arcius raised his eyebrows, daring them. "Are you sure? There won't be enough for plankton to feed on when I'm through." He raised his hand. A humming golden aura formed around his clenched fist. Tiny rays sparkled from between his fingers.

Rapunzel picked up her hair nervously, stroking it like an old maid. "Remember Ariel, everyone has a weak point."

Ariel blinked. Something about her tone...

Rapunzel nodded.

Ariel dropped one of her hands like a hammer, nailing Arcius in the crotch.

Arcius doubled over, but didn't lose his grip. His eyes drew to Elsa, expecting her to attack. She was the fastest and could attack from range.

Which is why he didn't see Rapunzel whip out her hair. The golden strands lassoed around Ariel's waist and wrenched her out of his grasp.

With Ariel out of the way, Elsa let loose her full power. Blue ice soared like a shooting star into Arcius's chest.

He staggered back. The yellow aura around his hand fizzled out.

Ariel crawled back to Elsa and Rapunzel. They helped her up, checking for injuries.

Arcius dropped to one knee. He clutched his chest. "Wha... what happened? You...You froze my heart."

"Your heart was already frozen," Elsa said. "Frozen in time. You're locked in some world where past and future have no meaning. And when that happens, you stand still."

"But this isn't just any heart. It's the heart of Temeris." He reached out his hand. Yellow embers fizzled and disappeared. "I can't... I can't use it. You stopped the magic."

Black returned to the spinning world, which disappeared. The pedestal that held the grain of time lowered back down.

"Look," Ariel said.

Arcius's face flashed. Parts of it dissolved into air while others melted. Instead of his handsome, dapper appearance, he looked drained. His sunken-in, yellow eyes gawked as if they had no eyelids. With the white hair, the gray leathery skin, he looked like a decaying corpse. Worse than Lowther or Ravir.

Elsa said to her friends, "I think... I think we did it. Accidentally. Instead of destroying the grain of time or Arcius, all we needed to do was prevent his magic."

"He did become corrupted," Rapunzel said. "It was just an illusion. Meant to make us feel comfortable."

"I just wanted my time back," Arcius wept. "By the time I learned how to control the magic, I was near the end of my life. I could have gotten that back."

"You gambled on power and you lost. You spent all that time hoping you could live all over again," Elsa said. "Well, gambles are just that. You don't always win. Sometimes you make that journey and win. Sometimes you don't."

Arcius scowled. "I can't afford not to win," he growled.

The sorcerer leapt forward, onto the pedestal, and snatched the grain of time. Amber light gathered from his body's limbs--legs, arms, head--and funneled into the object in his hand.

"What are you doing?" Rapunzel asked.

"Conveying all my energy and power into the grain. If I can't use it, it's useless to me."

"How are you going to use the grain of time if you have no power?" Elsa asked.

"Like this."

Arcius slapped the grain into his forehead. An ethereal buzzing--like thousands of wasps--sounded. White tendrils erupted from his body. Arcius pushed out his chest, suspended in pain, as he levitated above the floor. The humming amplified until a white light flashed.

Arcius's clothes turned white, dappled with black. A white aura wisped and sinuated behind him. And his eyes glowed with eerie opalescent fire.

"Such power," Arcius said. His voice echoed in throngs. "I should have done this a long time ago."

"He merged with the grain of time!" Ariel said.

"Now I have complete control over time itself. I can see all things as they happen. All things as they shall happen. All instances." He looked down at them. "And you have no part of it."

He spun a circle in the air. A giant vortex appeared behind him--swirling black and white mashing together. "Do you know what this is? It's anti-time. This will take you to a time before time. Before the universe began. Where you will have no world. No memory. And no existence."

Wind began drilling against them, pushing them closer. Ariel, Rapunzel, and Elsa joined hands, helping each other maintain footing.

"Give up," Arcius said with a laugh.

"I'll never give up," Ariel shouted.

"You?" Arcius said. "You don't even have your trident. What are you going to do?"

"We don't need her trident," Elsa answered. "We have each other."

"We're stronger even if we didn't have powers," Rapunzel said. "Because we love each other."

"Seriously?" Arcius said. "You're pulling this?"

"You say that because you don't know what love is," Elsa said. "Love is breaking through the ice someone puts around themselves."

"Love is giving up something for your friends, no matter if you want it or someone else gives it to you," Rapunzel said.

"Love means finding your voice," Ariel said. With that she began to sing. The same haunting melody that she sang for Ursula, for Ravir. Now she sang it for herself.

Elsa and Rapunzel joined in, facing Arcius and singing as loudly as they could. The echoing chamber amplified the sound.

A heart began to form between them and the portal. Its iridescent surface was faceted like crystal ice. But a warm aura surrounded it, like the sun's corona. And deep inside, beneath the opaque surface, sloshed a watery core, as dark as the ocean. The elements of their three souls.

"I don't know what that is. But I have no intention of dealing with it. Or you." Arcius shot out his hand. "Enjoy being unmade from existence."

A beam of light, striped in white and black like the anti-time portal, streamed out. When it hit the heart, it fizzled out.

"What?" Arcius shot again. Nothing happened. The beam went out. Again. Nothing.

"I _will_ destroy you if it's the last thing I do." Arcius haunched up, wringing his arms. He flew forward on a course to ram it. White streaks of energy trailed behind.

On impact, Arcius bounced back, careening end over end until he fell into the portal.

He froze. The vortex froze.

All was silent.

Arcius choked. His form turned blocklike. The portal started swirling again like an engine building up. Arcius's limbs twisted, contorting like a surrealist painting. His eyes lost definition.

The portal shrunk around him and Arcius along with it. His arms and legs switched from three dimensions to two back to three. Choking gasps continued while his screams burst from whisper to agonized defeat.

The portal collapsed like a star until it was no bigger than the head of a pin. A white light flashed.

Ariel, Rapunzel, and Elsa shielded their eyes, anticipating an explosion. But there was no aftershock. The portal was gone. Arcius was gone. In its place was the grain of time, floating to the ground. Gold dust trailed behind like the tail of a shooting star.

"Is he gone?" Ariel whispered.

"Looks like it," Rapunzel said. "How did we survive?"

"Because love is eternal," said a voice.

The transparent form of a beautiful woman appeared over the sparkling crumb. She had a magnificent emerald dress and golden hair. Her viridian eyes looked down upon them.

"Love is eternal. Neither time nor anti-time can remove that from existence." She smirked.

"Who are you?" Ariel asked.

"Don't you recognize me? I'm what you've been fighting for this whole time. I am the grain of time."

"You're a person?" Rapunzel asked.

"Mmm, maybe not person. But sentient. All the sands of time are. You can't have this much power and not be." She giggled.

"Did Arcius know this?" Elsa asked. "He was keeping you enslaved for your power. Did he know you were conscious?"

"Time is not just a matter or a concept. It has an energy. Within the sands of time, we are immortal. But taken out, our vitality succumbs to entropy."

"That's why he was so concerned about draining you. You weren't just an artifact. And if you lose your energy, you die," Rapunzel said.

"Yes," the goddess said. "Though sadly, that appears to be inevitable. I've just become too exhausted to continue." Her shoulders slumped. Her transparency was fading. The grain of time was twinkling like a candle, dimming with each flash.

"No," Elsa said. "No. We can... we can find a way. Maybe there's a magic-"

"Oh, don't worry about it," the goddess said. "I welcome this. So many of my kind wonder what's on the other side. I will be the first to know." She smiled. "But I still hold enough spirit within to grant a boon."

"A boon?" Elsa asked.

"A favor. A gift. A wish. To revert that which brought you this turmoil in the first place. Unfortunately, I can only do this for one of you."

They each looked each other, considering what had drawn them here in the first place.

"You could fix the broken trident? Restore its power?" Elsa asked the maiden. The maiden nodded.

"What about Rapunzel?" Ariel countered. "It might be the only way to get rid of her hair. Otherwise, she'd be a target of thieves and villains the rest of her life."

"But you could bring back summer to Arendelle," Rapunzel said to Elsa.

"Yes, yes, and yes," the floating maiden said. "Choose quickly. My life is fading. I can feel it will be gone soon."

The three girls glanced between each other, caught in a standoff of selflessness and well-being.

"We've got to pick something. We can't just let this go," Elsa said.

"How are we supposed to make a decision?" Rapunzel asked.

"Rapunzel, it's got to be you," Ariel said. "With your hair, your healing powers, everyone's going to want you for themselves. You'd never be safe."

Elsa said "But it's your trident. I know how important it is to you. And your people. Let alone it's the weapon of a god."

"The fewer people with weapons, the better," Ariel said.

"I'm just one person," Rapunzel said. "Both of you have entire kingdoms depending on you. Arendelle is still in danger."

Again, dead silence within the vacuous chamber. Each watched the other.

And then, a decision was made.


	42. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Elsa's return to Arendelle met with great celebration. Kristoff, Anna, and Olaf had organized it. They knew something good had happened when the clouds folded and crinkled from the sun's gentle burn.

Elsa met them at the dock, where the _Barefoot Maiden_ lay in repose. Anna couldn't stop hugging her sister.

The royal guards cleared a path for the carriage to take them to the castle. Without it, the citizens would have mobbed their queen in celebration. Instead, they traveled behind the cart, singing songs of victory.

Elsa looked out the window at Arendelle. The sky was still a bleak and dismal slate, though that was typical for the time of year. The grass remained woody and the misty air smelled stagnant. There should have been crocuses and tulips blooming by now. Anyone visiting Arendelle would find a depressing place to be sure.

The podium Ansel had once used to address the citizens remained in front of the castle doors. Elsa took her place behind it, with Kristoff, Anna, and Olaf at her side. She waited for the citizens to finish gathering before she spoke.

"Citizens of Arendelle. I'm happy to announce that our nightmare appears to be over. The magic that brought forth this terrible climate has been destroyed."

The crowd roared in applause.

"Unfortunately, there is no magic to aid our recovery. It will take hard work, but we will bring back summer. This means there are hard times ahead. Our farmland is devastated. Our crops are in blight. I'm afraid we must prepare to suffer through another year of hardship."

Elsa had never felt the mood of a crowd before. When people talked about sensing energy from a massive group of people, she thought it was nonsense. But for the first time, some sixth sense recognized the dismay in the atmosphere.

"However we will have help. We have new alliances. Corona has pledged to give its support--in a non-military fashion," she added as an aside. "We will get through this. And I will be behind you all the way."

Now the crowd seemed confused. Kristoff twisted his face quizzically.

"Someone once told me that... there are some people worth melting for," she said to the throngs. "I think there are some people worth freezing for too. I give this pledge to you now: I am not going anywhere. Though I don't always show it, I love being your queen. I love this kingdom. I love the people in it, no matter what they say. Whisper and gossip in taverns if you want, I won't leave you. Not ever."

And Elsa kept her word. She was behind every citizen's back. Shoveling, carting, cobbling, smithing, farming, harvesting, ranching, even baking. She renovated the plumbing system, all pipes having been destroyed from freezing. She created oxplows from ice, taking time to craft the blade to utmost sharpness. She created a thin coating of snow all around the pastures--the meltwater would encourage sprouting.

In fall, the grass was green again, the livestock was healthy and back on their ranches. The white duck in the courtyard pond even had a fresh batch of fuzzy yellow chicks dashing after it. Elsa noticed this in the garden, during Arendelle Castle's First Annual Children's Tea Party.

When she announced the event, she told Anna "this is the hardest thing I'll ever have to do." It was one thing to be Arendelle's queen. But if she spent all her time holed up in the council chambers, she would never be Arendelle's leader.

"Mmm," Elsa said, sipping from a teacup. She was sitting on the grass, dress spread out, addressing a five-year-old with braided pigtails. The party was wrapping up, but Elsa wanted to make sure she met all the guests she could. "Are you having fun?"

"I don't like tea. It tastes like dirty water," the little girl said.

"I didn't like tea until I was older," Elsa said.

"I like the cookies though. When I play tea party at home, I have to use rocks for cookies. This is different than my tea parties. I have to do friendly smiling here. And my mom said not to run around like a maniac."

Elsa glanced at two squealing boys chasing each other by the pond. "I think if you wanted to run around, no one would mind."

"Is your army run by a giant snow monster?"

"Er... what?"

"I know you got Olaf. But do you have a giant snowman too? In your ice castle? Is he, like, the head of your guards? Do you send people you don't like up there and the snowman eats them?"

Elsa searched her mind for a wise response. "No. He stays up there. Guards it, keeps it tidy. He's not really mean. In fact," she leaned in. "His name's Marshmallow."

The little girl giggled, rolling back on her rump. "That's a funny name."

"Hey, Elsa." Anna stepped up to them, wearing the green and black velvet dress that matched the courtyard garden.

"Excuse me one minute. Princess business," Elsa said to the girl as she stood up.

"I understand," the little girl said.

The two sisters stepped to the side. "Is everything going okay? Everyone's having a good time?" Elsa asked.

"They're having a great time," Anna said, surprised she asked. "This was a great idea. No one can stop talking about it. Just look at Olaf."

She pointed to the other side of the grove. Three boys were juggling the snowman's body parts between them. Olaf yipped in delight. "Whoa... wahoo... yippee... the world is spinning..."

"I've got to say, I never expected this from you," Anna said. "And you were the one to suggest it."

"There's not much point to opening up the gates if people don't want to go inside. The castle doors could be wide open. It doesn't matter unless I keep my heart open too."

Anna smiled. "Anyway, you wanted me to tell you when it was five o'clock. And... it's five o'clock."

"Oh!" Elsa squealed. The tea party was scheduled to end half an hour ago, but she'd been having so much fun. She turned to the little girl. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Aw, but we just started," she whined. "I wanted to have tea with a queen."

Anna stepped forward. "I can take her place. I'm her sister, Princess Anna."

"Yay! A princess. That's even better!"

Anna gave Elsa a sly smile. Elsa rolled her eyes, then walked away.

"Oh, Elsa," Anna called out. "You will tell me who you're seeing one of these days, right?"

"Who said I'm seeing anyone?" Elsa shrugged. Before Anna could ask anything else, she dashed out of earshot.

"Right," Anna said. She clinked her cup with the little girl.

Elsa ran behind the trees through the grove, peeling away her garrish decorations--the tiara, the bracelets, earrings, necklace. The courtyard's back wall abutted the shoals Arendelle Castle was built on. In its center was a postern--a back way. It was usually locked, but Elsa, being the queen, had asked for and received the key. She slipped through the gate at the same time slipping out of her fancy shoes.

Salty sea-spray kissed her face from the waves striking the rocks. She took a moment to breathe it in, then let out her tight hair bun. The soothing wind played with French braid like an animal's tail.

She stepped gingerly down the rough rocks to the water's edge. A man's head broke the surface.

"Hi," Gil said. He smoothed back his slick wet hair.

"Hi," Elsa said dreamily. She sat on a flattish rock close to him, hugging her knees. "Sorry I'm late. I just got done with the tea party."

"You're not late," Gil said. "How was it?"

"Good. The kids loved it. I might do it again next month too."

Gil pulled out a box from beneath the surface. "Here. I made you a birthday present."

Elsa accepted it, saying "But it's not my birthday."

"I know. But you didn't tell me when it was, so I guessed. Looks like I guessed wrong."

Elsa laughed. "At least you were bold enough to try."

"I only had a chance of one out of three hundred and sixty-five after all."

Elsa undid the seaweed ribbon. Inside the box was a necklace made of tropical cerith and horn shells. "Oh, it's beautiful. There's nothing like this in Arendelle seas." She attached it around her neck. "I'm quite sure I'll be the only one around with this kind of necklace."

"What if they ask you where you got it?"

"I'll tell the truth," Elsa said. "A handsome man gave it to me."

Gil smirked. "Well, half a man."

Elsa smiled. _Twice the man of many._ "I have a gift for you too."

"It's not my birthday, either," Gil said.

"No, it's not a birthday gift. It's something I meant to give you before."

She leaned down, placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him. Gil rose out of the water and kissed her back.

* * *

"You couldn't find a way to cut it?" the King Frederic asked, equal parts resigned and disappointed.

"No... Well," Rapunzel reconsidered. "I did, but... no. I think it's better this way. Better than the alternatives were."

Rapunzel waited for her parents or Flynn to respond. They had made their greetings and hugs down at the docks. Then again in the village, again at the castle entrance, and several times more just now in the conference room.

"Better this way?" the Queen asked. "What do you mean?"

"I think it sends a message to the people of Corona. A message of hope. That even if the past may be inescapable, there is always hope for the future."

The king and queen didn't know how to respond to that. But Flynn did. "What about all the low-lifes and thugs? People from miles around are going to want that hair. Everyone from warring kingdoms to kidnappers. How are you going to stay safe?"

"I thought you already knew. You got my message, right?" Rapunzel said. "I can't remember when I sent it. The past week's just been a blur."

"Yes, of course. We did everything you said. He's waiting in the dungeon. It was no easy task to get-"

Rapunzel stood up. "What? You put him in the dungeon?"

The King held up his hands. "He asked to be put there. He said it was the only place he felt comfortable."

"Oh." Rapunzel looked down.

"Should we send a page to go and fetch him?" Queen Arianna asked.

"No. I'll do it," Rapunzel said.

"We'll be here," the king said, cradling his arm around the queen.

Rapunzel and Flynn left the conference room and descended a spiral staircase. The castle lay on a foundation of sand-colored bricks, not gray. That, plus the east-facing windows, helped the dungeon from seeming too gloomy.

Each cell had a barred door, but all the ones Rapunzel could see were empty. Which meant he was in the last one, at the darkest part of the hall.

"Can you wait here for me?" she whispered to Flynn, grasping his hand. "He's probably scared enough as it is."

Flynn nodded.

Rapunzel walked all the way to the last cell. There he sat on the bench. The door was unlocked.

"Hello, princess," Omis Ravir said. "How are you?"

"Me? I'm fine. How are you?" Rapunzel asked.

"I'm fine." Ravir's gaze fixed on the floor. "Nervous."

"No one gave you any trouble, did they?"

"No. But I'm still not sure this is a good idea. My appearance..."

"I don't care about your appearance. And neither will anyone else. I promise. It's going to take some time to ease back into the world. I know. I had to do it myself."

"But you must understand my terms. I won't be seen."

"If you don't want to, you don't have to be. In fact, it's better if you're not. But..." Rapunzel held up a finger. "You'll still be considered a member of the royal guard. Keeping the princess protected is a tough duty. You're the only one for miles around that could do it. That's a high honor. In fact, we already prepared a welcome feast for you."

"A feast?" Ravir asked.

"Mm-hm. Roast pork and cinnamon sauce. Chicken pie with turnip and carrots. Cucumber salad and spiced squash. And chef makes these apple tarts with whipped cream that are delicious."

"I don't remember the last time I ate," Ravir said. "It's been decades."

"Oh. Then maybe we'll just start with some bread."

Rapunzel held out her hand through the door. Ravir looked at it with his yellow eyes. He reached out and put his clawed hand in her soft pink one.

* * *

The first thing that Ariel did was hug Eric. Then she hugged him again. And again. And again.

They took it slow. Five days passed before the couple left the castle. It was like a second honeymoon. And with the war over, they had the time to spend.

They shared parts of each other. Parts as ugly as groupers and beautiful as angelfish. Parts they had hidden too long. When they emerged, they emerged holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes.

When Eric returned to the kingdom, he was immediately arrested. The royal guard sent him to trial, charged with treason. He was led in handcuffs to the parliamentary court. Seven lords and three sub-judges from the surrounding villages assembled on a high platform semi-circle. Eric stood in the lonely booth for the accused. On a podium sat the book of law for him to consult, but he did not need it.

Eric's explanation of what happened took an entire day with the council's interruptions for questions and clarifications. Each evening, they sent him back to the gaols while other witnesses and lawyers made their case. But by the end of Eric's deposition, their patience grew short. They began waving off sidebars and arbitrarily sustaining objections.

When the trial was over, the councilors returned their verdict. There could be no doubt in what Eric's actions were--half the kingdom was a witness. And both Eric's account and the evidence proved that he acted with free will, without any coercion. Guilty. No doubt about it, reasonable or otherwise.

His punishment? Tell everyone that he was sorry.

The captain of the guards roiled. He demanded exile, capital punishment, or something equally severe. He disavowed the judge's authority, tried bargaining with council. But the verdict had been made--the verdict the prosecution wanted. And the sentence had already been carried out.

In their final statement, the judges declared that Eric's actions were most definitely treacherous. But once Eric explained his motivation, they were justifiable. The head judge declared that any man or woman worth his character should have done the same thing. When the royal guard heard that, he rescinded his challenge, although he still grumbled about it.

Eric's first act, once he was back in power, was to withdraw from the war. He recalled his ships and support, ignoring any messages or questions from fellow countries, be they ally or enemy. The people backed his decisions, especially when word of Arendelle's situation reached them.

When Ariel returned, the town was still jubilating the end to the war. Each day a new ship returned, bringing someone's father or brother back home.

One of the last things she told Eric before they came out was "I want to make an announcement to the people. Can you arrange that?"

Eric was surprised. She'd never wanted to do that before. "Sure. The official celebration ends next week, when we sign the formal declaration of departure. You could do it then."

"Good," Ariel nodded.

"Can you tell me what it's about?" Eric asked.

Ariel sighed. "I'm not even sure myself."

Days later, the kingdom gathered on the streets. Streamers and confetti flew from windows. Husbands in woolen outfits embraced their wives on the docks as inert warships patrolled the harbor.

Eric stood on the balcony of his castle, overlooking the kingdom. Down below, the crowd was so large it flowed beyond the gates. After he signed the document held up by the minister of war (and the crowd had finished cheering), Ariel came out.

She wore the most formal gown Eric had ever seen--a conservative black dress with tight bodice and paisley trim. After Eric finished goggling, he stepped aside to let her take his place. The crowd whispered to each other, unsure of what was to next. They'd never seen the prince's wife so prim and droll.

"Good people," she declared. "I am not much of a speech-maker. I'm not good with my words. So I'll keep this brief. I know... that I haven't been the best of rulers. I've made some decisions... or influenced others to make decisions that weakened the kingdom. Selfish decisions, careless decisions. That's because I have been living a dual life."

Eric's eyes shot open. Now he knew exactly what her speech was about. And he was frightened.

"As some of you might know, I came to this kingdom under mysterious circumstances. No country, no family background, no dowry. Well, there is reason for that. Up until a year ago, I was a mermaid."

The crowd burbled with surprise, disbelief, laughter, and dubiety.

"More than just a mermaid," Ariel continued. "I was princess of a kingdom called Atlantica, the greatest in all the ocean. I fell in love with a human and, through magic, became what I am today." She paused to let the crowd absorb this. "But that is part of my past. The past is part of who I am and what I will be. And what I _will_ be is queen. Queen of both this land and ocean."

Ariel reached behind her and pulled out her trident. Eric hadn't even seen her carrying it. The gold partisan gleamed.

"This is the trident. It's a weapon forged by the first gods and proof of my birthright. It can only be wielded by the true ruler of the seven seas."

She held it aloft. It began to make a harmonic magical thrum.

"With it, and my coronation, I declare this kingdom part of Atlantica. And Atlantica part of this kingdom. You are all now citizens under both. I will make my decisions and actions in the best interest of both. And any I made in the past that weren't, I will take back."

Now the crowd, unsure of where all this was going, began to come around. The once angrily-toned chatter began to lighten with acceptance.

Ariel looked back at Eric, who had a smile on his face. He approved. They'd work out all the logistics later, but for now, he saw the kingdom becoming stronger. Just like they were stronger.

She turned back to the crowd. "I can't ignore my people any longer. Either of them. Because I belong to both. As do all of you. And I hope... no, I am pleased that you are all now part of my world."


End file.
